Tate Surber Named to Jerry Rice Award Watch List
10/20/2026 1:47:00 PM | Football
MARTIN, Tenn. – Rising University of Tennessee at Martin quarterback Tate Surber was selected as one of the nation's top 30 FCS freshman by being selected to the Jerry Rice Award Watch List.
The Jerry Rice Award, honoring the FCS freshman player of the year, is one of six to comprise the Stats Perform FCS National Awards. This season, the watch list runs 30 deep, matching the largest pool in the award's 16-year history in the Division I subdivision.
A native of Huntingdon, Tenn., Surber has taken control of the offense in his redshirt-freshman season while starting the last four contests. Surber has completed 63.4 percent of his pass attempts (97-of-153) while passing for 917 yards and four touchdowns. The young quarterback leads the Ohio Valley Conference in completion percentage and fifth in passing yards.
The Jerry Rice Award is named after the legendary Hall of Fame wide receiver who starred in the FCS at Mississippi Valley State University. Past recipients include Cooper Kupp, Chase Edmonds, Trey Lance, Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders.
True and redshirt freshmen are eligible for the Jerry Rice Award. A national media panel will select the winner from a group of finalists following the regular season.
2026 Jerry Rice Award Watch List
Bryce Allen, Richmond, WR, Fr., 6-3, 206 (Patriot League)
Nate Bailey, Harvard, WR, Fr., 5-8, 175 (Ivy League)
Rashon Brown, Bethune-Cookman, RB, R-Fr., 5-10, 185 (SWAC)
Khalid Bueno, Stony Brook, DE, R-Fr., 6-3, 215 (CAA)
Isaiah Champagne, UIW, WR, R-Fr., 5-10, 180 (Southland)
Treynor Cleeland, UC Davis, QB, R-Fr., 6-2, 215 (Big Sky)
Bryce Coleman, Columbia, WR, Fr., 6-4, 180 (Ivy League)
Carter Dahlke, Montana State, WR, Fr., 5-9, 175 (Big Sky)
Cade Ellis, William & Mary, DB, Fr., 6-0, 195 (Patriot League)
Trehsyn Fesili, Idaho State, DE, Fr., 6-2, 217 (Big Sky)
Donovan Frederick, North Carolina A&T, LB, R-Fr., 6-2, 230 (CAA)
Da'Jean Golmond, Norfolk State, QB, Fr., 6-2, 210 (MEAC)
Denver Harper, Austin Peay, WR, R-Fr., 5-8, 161 (UAC)
Emmanuel Harris, Stephen F. Austin, DE, Fr., 6-4, 242 (Southland)
Xavier Johnson, North Alabama, WR, R-Fr., 6-0, 190 (UAC)
Kamerin McDowell-Moore, Elon, RB, Fr., 6-0, 183 (CAA)
Mason Mims, ETSU, QB, R-Fr., 6-3, 211 (Southern)
Austyn Modrzewski, South Dakota, QB, R-Fr., 6-5, 215 (MVFC)
Ashton Pannell, Chicago State, QB, Fr., 6-3, 190 (Independent)
Braylon Peebles, Furman, S, Fr., 5-10, 184 (Southern)
Byron Perrilliat, Alabama A&M, RB, Fr., 5-11, 182 (SWAC)
Nick Peipert, St. Thomas, QB, R-Fr., 6-1, 211 (PFL)
Jadyn Reed, Indiana State, WR, Fr., 6-0, 175 (MVFC)
Davon Smith Jr., Central Connecticut State, RB, R-Fr., 6-0, 190 (NEC)
Tate Surber, UT Martin, QB, R-Fr., 6-3, 200 (OVC)
Parker Vance, Southern Utah, S, R-Fr., 6-2, 200 (Big Sky)
Zalen "Aki" Watkins, Gardner-Webb, DL, R-Fr., 6-3, 290 (OVC)
Jamarius Wilson, South Carolina State, OL, Fr., 6-3, 280 (MEAC)
Dax Wiskur, Drake, S, Fr., 6-2, 200 (PFL)
Mason Wuenschel, Lamar, LB, R-Fr., 6-2, 231 (Southland)
The Jerry Rice Award is one of six to comprise the Stats Perform FCS National Awards. The others are the Walter Payton Award (FCS Offensive Player of the Year), Buck Buchanan Award (FCS Defensive Player of the Year), Eddie Robinson Award (FCS Coach of the Year), HBCU National Player of the Year and Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
The Jerry Rice Award, honoring the FCS freshman player of the year, is one of six to comprise the Stats Perform FCS National Awards. This season, the watch list runs 30 deep, matching the largest pool in the award's 16-year history in the Division I subdivision.
A native of Huntingdon, Tenn., Surber has taken control of the offense in his redshirt-freshman season while starting the last four contests. Surber has completed 63.4 percent of his pass attempts (97-of-153) while passing for 917 yards and four touchdowns. The young quarterback leads the Ohio Valley Conference in completion percentage and fifth in passing yards.
The Jerry Rice Award is named after the legendary Hall of Fame wide receiver who starred in the FCS at Mississippi Valley State University. Past recipients include Cooper Kupp, Chase Edmonds, Trey Lance, Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders.
True and redshirt freshmen are eligible for the Jerry Rice Award. A national media panel will select the winner from a group of finalists following the regular season.
2026 Jerry Rice Award Watch List
Bryce Allen, Richmond, WR, Fr., 6-3, 206 (Patriot League)
Nate Bailey, Harvard, WR, Fr., 5-8, 175 (Ivy League)
Rashon Brown, Bethune-Cookman, RB, R-Fr., 5-10, 185 (SWAC)
Khalid Bueno, Stony Brook, DE, R-Fr., 6-3, 215 (CAA)
Isaiah Champagne, UIW, WR, R-Fr., 5-10, 180 (Southland)
Treynor Cleeland, UC Davis, QB, R-Fr., 6-2, 215 (Big Sky)
Bryce Coleman, Columbia, WR, Fr., 6-4, 180 (Ivy League)
Carter Dahlke, Montana State, WR, Fr., 5-9, 175 (Big Sky)
Cade Ellis, William & Mary, DB, Fr., 6-0, 195 (Patriot League)
Trehsyn Fesili, Idaho State, DE, Fr., 6-2, 217 (Big Sky)
Donovan Frederick, North Carolina A&T, LB, R-Fr., 6-2, 230 (CAA)
Da'Jean Golmond, Norfolk State, QB, Fr., 6-2, 210 (MEAC)
Denver Harper, Austin Peay, WR, R-Fr., 5-8, 161 (UAC)
Emmanuel Harris, Stephen F. Austin, DE, Fr., 6-4, 242 (Southland)
Xavier Johnson, North Alabama, WR, R-Fr., 6-0, 190 (UAC)
Kamerin McDowell-Moore, Elon, RB, Fr., 6-0, 183 (CAA)
Mason Mims, ETSU, QB, R-Fr., 6-3, 211 (Southern)
Austyn Modrzewski, South Dakota, QB, R-Fr., 6-5, 215 (MVFC)
Ashton Pannell, Chicago State, QB, Fr., 6-3, 190 (Independent)
Braylon Peebles, Furman, S, Fr., 5-10, 184 (Southern)
Byron Perrilliat, Alabama A&M, RB, Fr., 5-11, 182 (SWAC)
Nick Peipert, St. Thomas, QB, R-Fr., 6-1, 211 (PFL)
Jadyn Reed, Indiana State, WR, Fr., 6-0, 175 (MVFC)
Davon Smith Jr., Central Connecticut State, RB, R-Fr., 6-0, 190 (NEC)
Tate Surber, UT Martin, QB, R-Fr., 6-3, 200 (OVC)
Parker Vance, Southern Utah, S, R-Fr., 6-2, 200 (Big Sky)
Zalen "Aki" Watkins, Gardner-Webb, DL, R-Fr., 6-3, 290 (OVC)
Jamarius Wilson, South Carolina State, OL, Fr., 6-3, 280 (MEAC)
Dax Wiskur, Drake, S, Fr., 6-2, 200 (PFL)
Mason Wuenschel, Lamar, LB, R-Fr., 6-2, 231 (Southland)
The Jerry Rice Award is one of six to comprise the Stats Perform FCS National Awards. The others are the Walter Payton Award (FCS Offensive Player of the Year), Buck Buchanan Award (FCS Defensive Player of the Year), Eddie Robinson Award (FCS Coach of the Year), HBCU National Player of the Year and Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
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