THE HILL | Alabama A&M University freshman running back Byron Perrilliat was named to the Stats Perform 2026 Jerry Rice Award Watch List on Tuesday, placing him among the candidates for the Football Championship Subdivision's freshman player of the year honor.
 
There hasn't been a need for FCS football teams to ease in many freshmen given the high level of talent this season. Stats Perform's 2026 Jerry Rice Award Watch List features 30 players, matching the largest in the award's 16-year history.
 
Through eight games, Perrilliat leads the Bulldogs with 437 rushing yards on 65 carries and four touchdowns, averaging 6.7 yards per attempt. He also has one reception for seven yards.
 
The Jefferson, Louisiana, native delivered his best performance Sept. 26 at Florida A&M, rushing for a career-high 165 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries in Alabama A&M's 40-21 victory. Perrilliat averaged 10.3 yards per carry and scored twice in the fourth quarter to help secure the Bulldogs' conference-opening win.
 
That performance earned Perrilliat FCS National Freshman Player of the Week, HBCU Co-Player of the Week and Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Offensive Player of the Week recognition.
 
Perrilliat added another 100-yard outing against Bethune-Cookman on Oct. 10, finishing with 103 yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries in the Bulldogs' 55-17 victory.
 
The Jerry Rice Award is named after the legendary Hall of Fame wide receiver who starred at Mississippi Valley State University. Past recipients include Cooper Kupp, Chase Edmonds, Trey Lance, Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders.
 
True and redshirt freshmen are eligible for the award. A national media panel will select the winner after the regular season from a group of finalists.
 
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