NFF Proudly Announces the Finalists for  2026 William V. Campbell Trophy®

by | Oct 21, 2026 | Football Blogs

NFF Proudly Announces the Finalists for  2026 William V. Campbell Trophy®

Eighteen finalists will each receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship as a member of the 2026 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class
Presented by Fidelity Investments®.

IRVING, Texas (Oct. 21, 2026) – The National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame announced today the finalists for the 2026 William V. Campbell Trophy®, college football’s premier scholar-athlete award that annually recognizes an individual as the absolute best in the nation for his combined academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership.

“The Campbell Trophy represents everything right in college football,” said NFF Chairman Archie Manning, whose sons Peyton (a Campbell Trophy® recipient) and Eli were NFF National Scholar-Athletes in 1997 and 2003, respectively. “These 18 finalists have competed at an extraordinary level while embracing the demands of the classroom and making a meaningful difference in their communities. They understand that success is about more than what happens on Saturdays, and we are proud to recognize them as examples of the character, discipline and leadership that make college football so special.”

2026 NFF Campbell Trophy® Finalists Highlights
 
  • 3.68 average GPA
  • 17 captains (permanent or game), including eight two-year captains (Brown, Brungard, Carter, Fleischmann, Foster, Madsen, Robinson, Stockton)
  • 14 players who have already graduated (Brown, Brungard, Carter, Craig, Fitzgerald, Fleischmann, Foster, Hinzman, Hubbard, Madsen, Rinaldi, Robinson, Stockton, Wesloski), including two players who have already earned a master’s degree (Fleischmann, Rinaldi)
  • 8 Academic All-America selections (Bryant, Fitzgerald, Fleischmann, Foster, Hubbard, Miller, Robinson, Ruddy)  
  • 14 players receiving conference academic honors (Brungard, Bryant, Carter, Fitzgerald, Foster, Hinzman, Hubbard, Madsen, Miller, Rinaldi, Robinson, Ruddy, Stockton, Wesloski)
  • 8 All-America performers (Brungard, Fleischmann, Foster, Hinzman, Hubbard, Miller, Robinson, Ruddy)
  • 2 conference Players of the Year (Brungard, Ruddy)
  • 17 All-Conference selections (Brown [at USF], Brungard, Bryant, Carter, Craig [at Harvard], Fitzgerald, Fleischmann, Foster, Hinzman, Hubbard, Madsen, Miller, Moore, Robinson, Ruddy, Stockton, Wesloski [at North Texas])
  • 7 school record holders (Brown [at USF], Brungard, Craig [at Harvard], Foster, Miller, Moore, Ruddy)
  • 3 members of national championship teams (Fleischmann, Hinzman, Miller)
  • 7 members of conference championship teams (Fleischmann, Foster, Hubbard, Madsen, Miller, Moore, Stockton)
  • 16 members of postseason teams (College Football Playoff – Carter, Hinzman, Hubbard, Madsen, Moore, Rinaldi, Stockton; FBS bowl games – Brown, Bryant, Fitzgerald, Robinson; FCS playoffs – Brungard, Craig [at Harvard], Fleischmann; Division II playoffs – Miller; Division III playoffs – Foster)
  • 11 members of currently ranked teams (Brungard—No. 4 Youngstown State [FCS], Bryant—No. 12 Kentucky, Carter—No. 11 Tennessee, Fitzgerald—No. 24 Northwestern, Fleischmann—No. 3 Montana State [FCS], Foster—No. 6 Hardin-Simmons [TX—III], Hinzman—No. 3 Ohio State, Hubbard—No. 13 Alabama, Madsen—No. 21 Boise State, Miller—No. 2 Harding [AR—II], Stockton—No. 5 Georgia)
  • 1 player who is the first NFF National Scholar-Athlete from his school (Ruddy)
  • 11 offensive players (Brown, Brungard, Craig, Fleischmann, Hinzman, Madsen, Miller, Moore, Robinson, Ruddy, Stockton)
  • 7 defensive players (Bryant, Carter, Fitzgerald, Foster, Hubbard, Rinaldi, Wesloski)

 

The 18 finalists will each receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship as members of the 2026 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class Presented by Fidelity Investments®:

• Byrum Brown, QB – Auburn // Health Science & Public Health (3.81 GPA)
• Beau Brungard, QB – Youngstown State // Business Administration (3.82 GPA)
• Ty Bryant, DB – Kentucky // Sport Communication (3.83 GPA)
• Arion Carter, LB – Tennessee // Public Health (3.53 GPA)
• Jaden Craig, QB – TCU // Economics (3.56 GPA)
• Robert Fitzgerald, DB – Northwestern // Economics, Learning & Org. Change (3.71 GPA)
• Titan Fleischmann, OL – Montana State // Political Science (3.81 GPA)
• Harrison Foster, S – Hardin-Simmons (TX) // Finance (3.91 GPA)
• Carson Hinzman, OL – Ohio State // Sport Industry (3.41 GPA)
• Bray Hubbard, DB – Alabama // Sport Management (3.58 GPA)
• Maddux Madsen, QB – Boise State // Interdisciplinary Professional Studies (3.68 GPA)
• Andrew Miller, RB – Harding (AR) // Kinesiology (3.66 GPA)
• Dante Moore, QB – Oregon // Sociology (3.27 GPA)
• Nick Rinaldi, LB – Vanderbilt // Economics (3.97 GPA)
• Duce Robinson, WR – Florida State // Interdisciplinary Social Science (3.90 GPA)
• Shea Ruddy, WR/KR – Hillsdale (MI) // Biochemistry (3.72 GPA)
• Gunner Stockton, QB – Georgia // Sport Management (3.27 GPA)
• Ethan Wesloski, LB – Oklahoma State // Kinesiology & Exercise Science (3.86 GPA)