CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – Florida State All-American and All-ACC wide receiver Duce Robinson has been named one of 16 finalists for the 2026 William V. Campbell Trophy, which is presented annually by the National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Football Hall of Fame to the best football scholar-athlete in the nation for their combined academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership.  
 
The 16 finalists were selected from a record number of 206 semifinalists nationwide from among all NCAA divisions and the NAIA – which included 14 ACC football student-athletes. 
 
Previous Campbell Trophy winners from current ACC schools are Clemson's Christian Wilkins in 2018, Virginia’s Micah Kiser in 2017, Duke’s David Helton in 2014, California’s Alex Mack in 2008, Miami’s Joaquin Gonzalez in 2001 and Virginia’s Thomas Burns in 1993.  
 
"The Campbell Trophy is among the most prestigious honors in college football, and we are incredibly proud of Duce,” said ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips, Ph.D. “He has distinguished himself in the classroom, on the field and in the community, and is an outstanding representative of Florida State, the ACC and college football. We look forward to celebrating Duce at the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame Awards Dinner in December.” 
 
The 16 finalists will each receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship as a member of the 2026 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class, presented by Fidelity Investments. The finalists will travel to the Bellagio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas for the 68th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas on December 8, where their accomplishments will be highlighted in front of one of the most powerful audiences in all of sports. Live during the event, one member of the class will be declared as the winner of the 37th Campbell Trophy and have his postgraduate scholarship increased to $25,000. 
 
Nominated by their schools, which are limited to one nominee each, each candidate must be competing in the 2026 season as a senior in his final year of eligibility or a graduate student/graduate transfer who has already earned a degree; have a cumulative undergraduate GPA of at least 3.2 on a 4.0 scale; have outstanding football ability as a first team player or significant contributor; and have demonstrated strong leadership and citizenship. The class is selected each year by the NFF Awards Committee, which is composed of a nationally recognized group of media, NFF College Football Hall of Famers and athletics administrators.

DUCE ROBINSON 
FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY — WR 
3.90 GPA — Interdisciplinary Social Science 

A 6-foot-6 playmaker who helped lead one of the most dramatic offensive turnarounds in college football, Duce Robinson has excelled at the highest levels on the field and in the classroom while making significant contributions as a community leader. The Phoenix, Arizona, native becomes Florida State's ninth NFF National Scholar-Athlete and first since 2010.

 

Robinson graduated magna cum laude from Florida State in May 2026 with a 3.90 GPA in interdisciplinary social science and is pursuing a master's degree in athletic coaching. A 2025 CSC First Team Academic All-American and Academic All-District selection, he also earned recognition on the All-ACC Academic Team and ACC Academic Honor Roll. He has received both President's List and Dean's List honors.

 

A three-year letterman and two-year Florida State captain, Robinson earned Third Team All-America and First Team All-ACC honors in 2025, receiving more all-conference votes than any other player in the league. Named Florida State's Offensive MVP and recipient of the Bobby Bowden Leadership Award, he led the Seminoles with 56 receptions for 1,081 yards and six touchdowns. His performance marked just the 14th 1,000-yard receiving season in school history and the first since 2019. He averaged 19.3 yards per reception and recorded five games with at least 120 receiving yards, the second-most in the country. Through seven games in 2026, he leads the team with 22 catches for 407 yards and four touchdowns (fourth most in the ACC).

 

Robinson helped Florida State field a top-10 offense nationally in 2025, averaging 472.1 yards per game and improving its offensive production by 201.8 yards per game from the previous season, the largest single-season improvement in FBS history. Before transferring to Florida State, he helped Southern California earn consecutive postseason victories in the 2023 Holiday Bowl and 2024 Las Vegas Bowl.

 

Robinson received Florida State's 2025 Bill McGrotha Award for humanitarian service and raised $10,000 for Special Olympics Florida through his charity pickleball tournament. He has coached young athletes through Next Level Flag Football, participated in elementary school literacy programs and mentored first-generation student-athletes. He has also helped collect and distribute winter coats and holiday meals for families in need. Robinson’s father, Dominic, played wide receiver and defensive back at Florida State from 2001-04 under NFF College Football Hall of Fame coach Bobby Bowden.