B/R Preseason College Football Awards Predictions

Although the field of contenders is smaller in 2020, college football's award races will nonetheless be exciting to watch.

While the Heisman Trophy is the ultimate prize, Bleacher Report's college football crew—David Kenyon, Adam Kramer, Kerry Miller, Joel Reuter and Brad Shepard—assembled to predict a variety of individual honors.

The panelists voted for a winner in eight categories, highlighted by Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year. The others are Head Coach, Senior, Freshman, Transfer and Non-Power Five Player of the Year, along with Most Exciting Player.

Several awards had a clear majority pick, but only two categories ended with a unanimous choice.

Offensive Player of the Year

Mike McCarn/Associated Press

David Kenyon: Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson
Adam Kramer: Travis Etienne, RB, Clemson
Kerry Miller: Lawrence
Joel Reuter: Chuba Hubbard, RB, Oklahoma State
Brad Shepard: Etienne

Co-Consensus Picks

Most of our eyes are on the Clemson backfield.

In both seasons as a starter, Trevor Lawrence has guided the Tigers to the national championship. They won the title in 2018. Along the way, he's racked up 7,673 yards of total offense and accounted for 76 touchdowns to just 12 interceptions.

Etienne, meanwhile, is a two-time top-10 Heisman Trophy finisher. He posted 1,736 yards from scrimmage and 26 touchdowns in 2018 and then collected 2,046 yards and 23 scores last season.

Quotable

"The fact is with Justyn Ross out for the year, Lawrence is going to have to help bring along several young targets (which he will)," Shepard said. "But the man who balances everything and whom the offense revolves around is the runner who returned and spurned the NFL. Coach Dabo Swinney will reward him for it."

Defensive Player of the Year

John Bazemore/Associated Press

David Kenyon: Derek Stingley Jr., CB, LSU
Adam Kramer: Stingley
Kerry Miller: Patrick Surtain II, CB, Alabama
Joel Reuter: Marvin Wilson, DT, Florida State
Brad Shepard: Dylan Moses, LB, Alabama

Consensus Pick

His sterling reputation is totally deserved; Derek Stingley Jr. earned first-team AP All-America honors as a true freshman.

With the exception of a poor showing against Alabama and mediocre day opposite Florida, he excelled in 2019. Stingley tied for second nationally with 21 pass defenses—including six interceptions—and allowed a catch on just 6.5 percent of his FBS-leading 554 snaps in coverage, according to Pro Football Focus.

Quotable

Reuter conceded Stingley is the nation's best defensive player. However, the necessity of building a game plan around the cornerback could mean his impact doesn't always show up on the stat sheet.

"That opens the door for Marvin Wilson to steal Defensive Player of the Year honors," Reuter said. "He had 44 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, five sacks and four pass deflections last season, and he only played nine games. His 10-tackle, 3.5-tackle-for-loss, two-sack performance against Louisville showed the dominance he's capable of displaying up front."

Head Coach of the Year

Julio Cortez/Associated Press

David Kenyon: Mack Brown, North Carolina
Adam Kramer: Brown
Kerry Miller: Brown
Joel Reuter: Brown
Brad Shepard: Brown

Unanimous Pick

Two years removed from a two-win season, North Carolina is suddenly a threat in the ACC.

While quarterback Sam Howell deserves the on-field credit, Mack Brown has sparked the resurgence. The Tar Heels finished 7-6 last season, but all six losses were by one possession. And this offense should be one of the nation's most productive units.

Miller has massive expectations for UNC.

"If Alabama, Clemson or Oklahoma wins the national championship, it won't result in Coach of the Year honors for Nick Saban, Dabo Swinney or Lincoln Riley. Those teams have already been penciled into the College Football Playoff by, well, everyone," Miller said.

"But by the time UNC carries a 9-0 record into the Nov. 27 showdown with Notre Dame, Brown's name will already be etched into the Coach of the Year plaque. That doesn't mean I'm picking the Tar Heels to reach the playoff; they probably need to beat Clemson in the ACC championship for that to happen. However, it's going to be a stellar year for Brown and Co."

Senior of the Year

Sean Rayford/Associated Press

David Kenyon: Travis Etienne, RB, Clemson
Adam Kramer: Etienne
Kerry Miller: DeVonta Smith, WR, Alabama
Joel Reuter: Etienne
Brad Shepard: Etienne

Consensus Pick

Kramer and Shepard doubled up on Etienne, projecting him as the Offensive Player and Senior of the Year this season. Kenyon and Reuter joined for the latter award.

"Etienne has always been a highly efficient runner, but he added another element to his game in 2019," Kenyon said. "After catching just 17 passes in his first two seasons combined, Etienne had 37 receptions for 432 yards and four touchdowns last year."

As the Tigers break in a new receiving corps, Etienne's hands—while not as impressive as his blazing-fast feet—will be immensely valuable to Trevor Lawrence and the Clemson offense.

Quotable

"Etienne came back for a reason, and he is going to be the man to lead Clemson to another national title," Shepard said. "He is going to make it yet another year with 15-plus rushing touchdowns, and he will beef up his NFL resume in the process."

Freshman of the Year

David Kenyon: Bryan Bresee, DT, Clemson
Adam Kramer: Arik Gilbert, TE, LSU
Kerry Miller: Zach Evans, RB, TCU
Joel Reuter: Gilbert
Brad Shepard: Gilbert

Consensus Pick

Justin Jefferson and Thaddeus Moss headed to the NFL, and 2019 Biletnikoff Award winner Ja'Marr Chase opted out. But as wide receiver Terrace Marshall Jr. likely becomes the No. 1 option for new quarterback Myles Brennan, Arik Gilbert should also draw a heavy share of the targets.

The fifth-best prospect in the 2020 recruiting class is listed at 6'5" and 249 pounds, but he's more than an in-line tight end.

"LSU needs playmakers around Brennan, and Gilbert is too talented to keep off the field," Shepard said. "He can flex out and be a matchup nightmare."

Quotable

"Next in line at Clemson's D-line factory is Bryan Bresee," Kenyon said. "Ranked No. 1 overall in the 2020 class, he's already a co-starter at defensive tackle on the initial depth chart.

"Clemson coach Dabo Swinney recently said he doesn't believe Clemson has ever had a lineman like Bresee as a freshman, per TigerNet. I'm all-in on Bresee."

Transfer of the Year

Gerald Herbert/Associated Press

David Kenyon: D'Eriq King, QB, Miami
Adam Kramer: King
Kerry Miller: King
Joel Reuter: King
Brad Shepard: King

Unanimous Pick

"This is the obvious answer, but it's also the right one," Kramer said. "And lost in the madness of COVID-19 is the fact that King, who was brilliant at Houston before transferring to Miami, could provide a spark for an offense that has been in search of it for some time."

In 2019, the 'Canes ranked 78th nationally in yards per play, 128th in sacks allowed and 129th in third-down conversion rate. No wonder they fired offensive coordinator Dan Enos.

But along with bringing in Rhett Lashlee from SMU, Miami landed King—who totaled 50 touchdowns at Houston in 2018.

"He's not the biggest quarterback in the world. In fact, by what is normally expected out of the position, he's considered small," Kramer said. "But what he lacks in size he makes up for in electricity, which should be evident early. The hope is that Miami lets King improvise and be himself. If that is the case, he could be in line for a monster year."

Most Exciting Player

Butch Dill/Associated Press

David Kenyon: Jaylen Waddle, WR/PR, Alabama
Adam Kramer: Waddle
Kerry Miller: JT Daniels, QB, Georgia
Joel Reuter: Waddle
Brad Shepard: Chuba Hubbard, RB, Oklahoma State

Consensus Pick

Last season, Jaylen Waddle paced the nation with 24.4 yards per punt return and took a kickoff back for a touchdown. Returning kicks is a perfect chance for Waddle to show off his incredible speed.

And in 2020, the wideout will start alongside DeVonta Smith in Alabama's offense. The transition should be just about seamless, though. Over the past two seasons, Waddle had 78 catches for 1,408 yards and 13 scores in a backup role.

Quotable

Miller pointed out how Georgia quarterback JT Daniels is the answer to one of 2020's biggest questions. 

"JT Daniels won't be a Lamar Jackson or Kyler Murray type of exciting, but one way or the other, his experience in Athens is going to be something we can't stop watching. Maybe the USC transfer will be great, making Georgia's offense far more entertaining than it was with Jake Fromm running the show.

"Or maybe he'll struggle and we'll spend the next three months wondering how different things might have been if he hadn't swooped in in mid-July and Wake Forest transfer Jamie Newman hadn't opted out. Can't wait to find out which one it is."

Non-Power Five Player of the Year

Willie J. Allen Jr./Associated Press

David Kenyon: Dillon Gabriel, QB, UCF
Adam Kramer: Trey Lance, QB, North Dakota State
Kerry Miller: Zac Thomas, QB, Appalachian State
Joel Reuter: Gabriel
Brad Shepard: Gabriel

Consensus Pick

As a true freshman, Dillon Gabriel threw for 3,653 yards and 29 touchdowns while helping UCF finish 10-3. He returns alongside a stacked group of skill-position talent that includes key targets Tre Nixon, Marlon Williams and Jacob Harris.

Gabriel ranked seventh nationally with 9.2 yards per pass last season. Thanks to that set of receivers, though, he has a chance to rise even higher in 2020.

Quotable

Kramer dipped into the Football Championship Subdivision for his choice: North Dakota State quarterback Trey Lance.

"As it stands now," Kramer said, "Lance is scheduled to play one game this year—an Oct. 3 showcase against Central Arkansas that promises to be one of the most intriguing NFL scouting moments in the history of football. (Seriously.) Although he is playing only one game, it's worth noting Lance did not throw a single interception last season. And that wasn't just a one-game season; it was a full year (16 games). He is a brilliant physical talent and a potential top-five pick in next year's draft. Even though we only get one game, it'll be a doozy."