CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – Eight dynamic playmakers from the Atlantic Coast Conference have been named to the 2025 Paul Hornung Award Preseason Watch List presented by Texas Roadhouse, as announced Thursday by the Louisville Sports Commission. The award honors college football’s most versatile player.
The ACC’s eight selections of the 46 players on the preseason watch list are tied for the most of any conference, along with the Big Ten and the Big 12.
Now in its 16th season, the Paul Hornung Award is given annually to the most versatile player in major college football by the Louisville Sports Commission in memory of the late football legend and Louisville native Paul Hornung. The winner and his family will be honored at the annual Paul Hornung Award dinner in March 2026 at the Galt House Hotel in Louisville, Ky.
ACC Players Named to the 2025 Paul Hornung Award Preseason Watch List
Name, School, Position
Jacob De Jesus, California, Wide Receiver
Antonio Williams, Clemson, Wide Receiver
Peyton Jones, Duke, Running Back
Isaac Brown, Louisville, Running Back
Keelon Marion, Miami, Wide Receiver
Hollywood Smothers, NC State, Running Back
Kenny Johnson, Pitt, Wide Receiver
Demond Claiborne, Wake Forest, Running Back
Hornung, who passed away in November 2020 at age 84, was one of the most versatile players in football history. During his standout career at Notre Dame in the 1950s, he played every position in the offensive backfield, as well as defensive safety, punter, placekicker, and kickoff returner. A 1956 All-American quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner, Hornung was the first overall pick in the NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers. In 1961, he earned NFL MVP honors after setting a single-season scoring record that stood for 46 years. He’s enshrined in both the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame, and legendary coach Vince Lombardi once called him “the most versatile man ever to play the game.”
The 2025 watch list was selected by a panel of college football experts, using a mix of statistics, past performance, SID input, and projections for the upcoming season. Throughout the fall, the Paul Hornung Award Weekly Honor Roll will spotlight players whose on-field versatility embodies the award’s spirit. Both watch list members and weekly honorees are eligible to win.
The Paul Hornung Award is part of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which includes 25 of the sport’s most prestigious honors. Since 1935, NCFAA awards have recognized over 950 of college football’s best. Learn more at NCFAA.org.