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LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – UNLV sophomore Jai’Den “Jet” Thomas has been named to the 2024 Doak Walker Award Watch List, released Tuesday by the PwC SMU Athletic Forum.
The Forum annually presents the award to the nation’s most outstanding college running back. It is named in honor of the three-time All-American runner at TCU.
Thomas returns as the team’s top back after a record-breaking rookie season. His dozen rushing touchdowns were the most of any freshman in college football and he also tied the overall school record for touchdowns in a game with four at UTEP. Named 2024 Preseason All-Mountain West Second Team by Athlon and Third Team by Phil Steele, he finished second on the team with 503 net yards on the ground and also caught seven passes for 62 yards. His 100 yards on just 13 carries against the Miners marked the team’s only 100-yard rushing effort of the season and earned him MW Freshman of the Week honors.
The PwC SMU Athletic Forum Board of Directors will name 10 semifinalists in November, and three finalists, as voted on by the Doak Walker Award National Selection Committee, will also be announced later that month. The committee will cast a second vote in December to determine the recipient. The National Selection Committee consists of past recipients, former NFL All-Pro and college All-America running backs, media members and selected special representatives. The recipient of the 2024 Doak Walker Award will be announced live on The Home Depot College Football Awards on Dec. 12, 2024.
Under the direction of 2023 Mountain West Coach of the Year Barry Odom, Thomas and the Rebels will kick off their 57th season of football on August 31 by heading to Big 12 Conference member Houston at 4 p.m. PT on FS1 in the first of a school-record 11 national TV games. The home opener comes one week later when Utah Tech comes to Allegiant Stadium for a noon kickoff on September 7.
Season tickets, three-game mini-plans and single-game tickets for the six-game 2024 home schedule are available now by visiting unlvtickets.com or calling (702) 739-FANS (3267). For information on VIP premium club seats or suites at Allegiant Stadium, contact the Premium Sales office at [email protected] or by calling (702) 895-0292.
2024 DOAK WALKER AWARD WATCH LIST
Kaytron Allen (Jr.), Penn State
LeQuint Allen (Jr.), Syracuse
Mario Anderson (Sr.), Memphis
Kevorian Barnes (Jr.), UTSA
CJ Baxter (So.), Texas
Lee Beebe Jr. (So.), UAB
Ulysses Bentley IV (Sr.), Ole Miss
Jaydon Blue (Jr.), Texas
Tahj Brooks (Sr.), Texas Tech
Antario Brown (Sr.), NIU
Jalen Buckley (So.), Western Michigan
Ryan Butler (Jr.), Stanford
CJ Campbell Jr. (Jr.), Florida Atlantic
Marcus Carroll (Sr.), Missouri
Nathan Carter (Jr.), Michigan State
Donald Chaney (Jr.), Louisville
Demond Claiborne (Jr.), Wake Forest
Dean Connors (Jr.), Rice
Quinton Cooley (Sr.), Liberty
Marquez Cooper (Sr.), San Diego State
Marquis Crosby (So.), Louisiana Tech
Jacory Croskey-Merritt (Sr.), Arizona
Ja’Quez Cross (Jr.), Arkansas State
Sean Dollars (Sr.), UNR
CJ Donaldson Jr. (Jr.), West Virginia
Donovan Edwards (Sr.), Michigan
Trevor Etienne (Jr.), Georgia
Rahsul Faison (Sr.), Utah State
Kaden Feagin (So.), Illinois
DJ Giddens (Jr.), Kansas State
Ollie Gordon II (Jr.), Oklahoma State
Rodney Hammond Jr. (Sr.), Pitt
Omarion Hampton (Jr.), North Carolina
T.J. Harden (Jr.), UCLA
Rahjai Harris (Sr.), East Carolina
RJ Harvey (Sr.), UCF
Justice Haynes (So.), Alabama
Jamal Haynes (Jr.), Georgia Tech
Roman Hemby (Jr.), Maryland
TreVeyon Henderson (Sr.), Ohio State
Daniel Hishaw Jr. (Jr.), Kansas
Jarquez Hunter (Sr.), Auburn
Jordan James (Jr.), Oregon
Ashton Jeanty (Jr.), Boise State
Montrell Johnson Jr. (Sr.), Florida
Quinshon Judkins (Jr.), Ohio State
Jaylan Knighton (Grad.), SMU
Jeremiyah Love (So.), Notre Dame
Marion Lukes (Sr.), Central Michigan
Phil Mafah (Sr.), Clemson
Woody Marks (Sr.), USC
LJ Martin (So.), BYU
Damien Martinez (Jr.), Miami
Josh McCray (Jr.), Illinois
Chez Mellusi (Grad.), Wisconsin
Jam Miller (Jr.), Alabama
Devin Mockobee (Jr.), Purdue
Kyle Monangai (Sr.), Rutgers
Jaquez Moore (Sr.), Duke
Devin Neal (Sr.), Kansas
Nate Noel (Sr.), Missouri
Cam Porter (Grad.), Northwestern
Jadarian Price (So.), Notre Dame
Kanye Roberts (So.), App State
Kye Robichaux (Sr.), Boston College
Abu Sama III (So.), Iowa State
Dylan Sampson (Jr.), Tennessee
Raheim Sanders (Sr.), South Carolina
Gavin Sawchuk (So.), Oklahoma
Malik Sherrod (Sr.), Fresno State
Nicholas Singleton (Jr.), Penn State
Cam Skattebo (Sr.), Arizona State
Terion Stewart (Jr.), Bowling Green
Darius Taylor (So.), Minnesota
Alex Tecza (Jr.), Navy
Jai’Den Thomas (So.), UNLV
DeaMonte Trayanum (Sr.), Kentucky
Bhayshul Tuten (Sr.), Virginia Tech
Kayne Udoh (So.), Army
Dre’lyn Washington (Jr.), Louisiana
Jordan Waters (Grad.), N.C. State
Harrison Waylee (Sr.), Wyoming
Jahiem White (So.), West Virginia
Noah Whittington (Sr.), Oregon
Leshon Williams (Sr.), Iowa
Nay’Quan Wright (Grad.), South Florida
Elijah Young (Sr.), WKU
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