LOGAN – Two Utah State football players were named to preseason awards watch lists on Monday. Jalen Royals made the Maxwell Award list and Jacob Garcia earned a spot on the Patrick Mannelly watch list.
The Maxwell Award is a player of the year honor that’s been awarded annually since 1937. This year’s preseason watch list features 80 players from FBS teams.
Royals can add this honor to several other preseason accolades he’s collected, putting it alongside being named to Phil Steele’s Fourth Team All-American selection, along with being a First Team preseason All-Mountain West pick by Steele, Athlon Sports and the Mountain West media. Royals is also on the 2025 Shrine Bowl 1000 watch list alongside teammate Spencer Petras.
The Patrick Mannelly Award, started in 2019, is given annually to the top long-snapper in FBS, with this year’s watch list containing 30 nominees. In addition to being on the Mannelly Award watch list, Garcia was named as a nominee for the Wuerffel Trophy and AFCA Good Works team, two awards the recognize community impact in alongside on-field accomplishments.
