Tennessee Vols RB Is on the Doak Walker Award Watch List

© Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports

Tennessee Volunteers running back Dylan Sampson has joined the list of college football standouts on the Doak Walker Award Watch List. Sampson, a junior from Baton Rouge, La., is among elite company for this honor. The Doak Walker Award is presented every year to college football's most outstanding running back.

The Doak Walker Award is named after Walker, SMU's three-time All-American running back, who was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1986.

The PwC SMU Athletic Forum Board of Directors will name 10 semifinalists in November. That group will then be pared down to three finalists. The winner will be announced on Dec. 12 at The Home Depot College Football Awards.

About Sampson

Sampson, at 5-foot-11 and 201 pounds, put together a standout 2023 season for the Volunteers in the Southeastern Conference. He totaled 604 yards rushing on 106 carries with 7 touchdowns, a team high. Sampson averaged 5.7 yards per carry. He posted two 100+ yard rushing games against UTSA and No. 17 Iowa in the Citrus Bowl. As for all-purpose yards, Sampson finished with 779 yards for Tennessee. He had 179 receiving yards on 17 catches and 1 touchdown catch.

After the PwC SMU Athletic Forum announced the Doak Walker Award Watch List on Tuesday, Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel was matter-of-fact about his hopes for Sampson this season. "He's going to have a great year for us," Heupel said at SEC Media Days. In the past two seasons, Sampson shared time at running back with Jaylen Wright and Jabari Small. Now, the responsibility for holding down the Volunteers' running game rests on his shoulders.

Solid Tennessee Team

Sampson's excellence also stretches into the classroom. He has made the SEC Academic Honor Roll twice and finds himself a member of the prestigious VOLeaders Academy.

A number of his teammates also have found themselves on other preseason watch lists. They include quarterback Nico Iamaleava (Maxwell Award), center Cooper Mays (Outland Trophy), defensive end James Pearce Jr. (Walter Camp Award) and wide receiver Bru McCoy (Wuerffel Trophy).

Keep up with Tennessee Volunteers football throughout the college football season here at College Football Dawgs.