The William V. Campbell, formerly the Vincent dePaul Draddy Trophy, is awarded by the National Football Foundation to the American

college football College football (french: Football universitaire) refers to gridiron football played by teams of student athletes. It was through college football play that American football rules first gained popularity in the United States. Unlike most ...

player with the best combination of academics, community service, and on-field performance. It is considered by many to be the "Academic Heisman" and nicknamed as such. While many major

awards are theoretically open to players at all competitive levels, in practice, only players at NCAA Division I level win them. The Campbell Trophy is unique in that it has been won by a player at a lower level— Brandon Roberts of Washington University in St. Louis, an NCAA Division III school, in 2002. The trophy is named for William Campbell, a business executive and former player,

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

and head coach at Columbia University. It was previously named in honor of

Vincent dePaul Draddy Vincent dePaul Draddy (died July 8, 1990) was an American entrepreneur and former scholar-athlete at Manhattan College. He later became associated with the Izod name and brand, which he helped popularize. Manhattan College While at Manhatta ...

, who served the National Football Foundation (NFF) and its

College Football Hall of Fame The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and interactive attraction devoted to college football. The National Football Foundation (NFF) founded the Hall in 1951 to immortalize the players and coaches of college football that were vote ...

for 33 years, including 19 years as the chairman of its board of directors. It has become the most prestigious and desirable "academic" award in college football. The trophy recognizes an individual as the absolute best in the country for his academic success, football performance, and exemplary community leadership. A scholar-athlete himself at

Manhattan College Manhattan College is a private, Catholic, liberal arts university in the Bronx, New York City. Originally established in 1853 by the Brothers of the Christian Schools (De La Salle Christian Brothers) as an academy for day students, it was la ...

, Draddy passionately believed in the premise that excellence on the football field could, and should, be consistent with academic distinction and the highest standards of civic leadership. He thought that young men who combined athletic performance with academic excellence should be recognized. After his death in July 1990, the NFF perpetuated his memory and beliefs by establishing a scholarship that would recognize the scholar-athlete who most fully embodies the ideals of the NFF. In 2014, Fidelity Investments became the presenting sponsor of the Campbell Trophy, with its official name becoming the William V. Campbell Trophy, presented by Fidelity Investments. In 2013, the New York Athletic Club became the official home of the trophy, and it is now on display as part of its Hall of Fame. The $25,000 postgraduate scholarship that accompanies the trophy is endowed by HealthSouth Corporation.

Winners

List of annual recipients since inception in 1990.

References

External links

The William V. Campbell Trophy
National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame website {{Student athlete College football national player awards Student athlete awards in the United States Awards established in 1990 1990 establishments in the United States