PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – Arkansas freshman running back Braylen Russell has been named to the Shaun Alexander Award Watch List, the Maxwell Football Club announced on Wednesday.

The Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award has been presented to the College Freshman Player of the Year since 2018 and is named in honor of Shaun Alexander, a former standout at the University of Alabama and with the Seattle Seahawks in the NFL. Past winners include: Trevor Lawrence (Clemson) – 2018, Kenneth Gainwell (Memphis) – 2019 and Will Anderson Jr. (Alabama) – 2020, Brock Bowers (Georgia) – 2021, Drake Maye (North Carolina) – 2022, Caleb Downs (Alabama) – 2023.

Russell arrived in Fayetteville as a four-star prospect, according to 247Sports, Rivals and ESPN, following a standout prep career at Benton High School in Benton, Ark. As a senior, Russell carried the ball 167 times for 1,359 yards (8.14 ypc) and 20 touchdowns while adding 18 receptions for 351 yards and five scores, helping lead the Panthers to a 10-2 record. As a junior, the six-foot-one, 253-pound running back rushed for 1,643 yards and 26 touchdowns.

The Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award watch list incorporates a broad spectrum of Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) programs and conferences from coast to coast, with 37 candidates recognized. Semifinalists for the award will be released on Nov. 6 before the winner is announced on Dec. 26.

Arkansas opens the season at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock against UAPB on Aug. 29 at 6:30 p.m. on ESPNU. Tickets are on sale now for as low as $45 per game. To see available seating inventory online, click here, or call the Razorback Ticket Center at 479.575.5151.