Award To Honor Exemplary Leadership By A College Player
DALLAS (Dec. 16, 2024) – The three finalists for the eighth annual Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year were announced today. In line for the award, which recognizes exemplary leadership both on and off the field, are Ahmed Hassanein of Boise State, Kaimon Rucker of North Carolina and J.J. Weaver of Kentucky .
Selected from a group of 20 semifinalists by a subset of the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Board of Directors, the three finalists have all demonstrated an outstanding record of leadership by exhibiting exceptional courage, integrity and sportsmanship. The winner will be announced at an award ceremony in Arlimngton, Texas, on February 12, 2025.
“I am excited to announce these three outstanding young men as the finalists for the eighth annual Collegiate Man of the Year,” said Witten. “Ahmed Hassanein, Kaimon Rucker and J.J. Weaver have all demonstrated exceptional leadership on and off the field and set the standard for what being a student-athlete is all about. It’s always tough to choose just three from all of the great players nominated. There are so many great representatives for college football, and I commend all of the nominees for the tremendous example of leadership they set on the field, on campus and in the community.”
Ahmed Hassanein, Boise State (Sr., DE) – Hassanein just earned his second consecutive selection to the All-Mountain West First Team, and he was selected as a second-team Academic All-American last season. Hassanein was born in Cairo, Egypt, where he spent the first 16 years of his life. As a teenager, he moved to the United States, but did not speak English or have any football experience. He is now fluent in English and an all-conference defensive end who averages more than a sack a game. He regularly volunteers at local schools, juvenile detention centers and rescue missions, working to provide inspiration to youth members of the community.
Kaimon Rucker, North Carolina (Sr., DE) – A second-team All-ACC performer in 2023, Rucker started the year on the watch lists for the Nagurski and Bednarik Awards, and registered six sacks this season despite missing a few games due to injury. The leader of UNC’s defensive unit, Rucker is a true standout in the community as well, where he provided personal hygiene items from his personal funds for fifth graders at his old elementary school who are experiencing physical changes to their bodies. He conducted a seminar with the fifth graders, primarily males, in an effort to educate them on this phase of their life. Rucker already earned his undergrad degree and is currently pursuing his master’s.
J.J. Weaver, Kentucky (Sr., LB) – Weaver is a five-year letterwinner and a standout linebacker for the Cats. He is a member of the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team and was a semifinalist for the Wuerffel Trophy. Elected as a captain in three straight seasons by his teammates, Weaver overcame a torn ACL as a freshman then the sudden loss of both his father and his beloved high school coach a year later. His strong will to return established him as a leader, and he has become an advocate for mental health and grief counseling. He has established a foundation that has organized a bike drive and a back-to-school event in his hometown of Louisville and in the Lexington community. Last year, he launched a peer-led, first-of-its-kind grief counseling group on UK’s campus.
The Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year, presented by Albertsons and Tom Thumb, is the first college football honor to focus primarily on a player’s leadership, both on and off the field. Last year, Mike Hollins of Virginia won the seventh annual award. The first six Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year awards were presented to Shaquem Griffin of UCF in 2017, D’Cota Dixon of Wisconsin in 2018, Trey Smith of Tennessee in 2019, Sam Ehlinger of Texas in 2020, Joshua Paschal of Kentucky in 2021 and Deslin Alexandre of Pitt in 2022.
Leadership is a term synonymous with Jason Witten, who, in addition to becoming one of the best tight ends in the history of the sport and the Cowboys’ all-time leading receiver, served as one of football’s most prominent role models during his 17-year pro career. In addition to winning the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award in 2012, Witten has also received the Bart Starr Award, Pro Football Weekly’s Humanitarian of the Year Award, Home Depot NFL Neighborhood MVP and the Bob Lilly Award, among many others. All of those honors have recognized his work in the community, achievements on the field and dedication to his teammates and family.
The winner of the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year will also receive a $10,000 contribution in his name to his school’s athletic scholarship fund. The contribution will be made by Jason Witten’s SCORE Foundation, the official charity of Jason and his wife Michelle. The SCORE Foundation, founded in 2007, has positively impacted tens of thousands of children and families in Texas and Tennessee over the last 17 years. The foundation operates its nationally-recognized SCOREkeepers program, which places trained male mentors on staff to work with children at family violence shelters, at nine shelters in the three states. SCORE has also operated a summer camp for kids with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Dallas, a weekend food backpack program for disadvantaged children in North Texas, opened Jason Witten Learning Centers in five different Boys & Girls Clubs and opened the Jason and Michelle Witten Emergency Waiting Room at the Niswonger Children’s Hospital in Johnson City, Tenn.