The best of the best in college football were recognized Thursday night during the 2017 awards ceremony from the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta.
Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield took home the Maxwell Award, given annually to the player of the year, and it could be a precursor to winning the Heisman Trophy on Saturday. The last three winners of the Maxwell Award has also hoisted the Heisman in New York.
Mayfield, who beat out Stanford's Bryce Love and Penn State's Saquon Barkley for the Maxwell Award, also took home the Davey O’Brien Award for the nation’s best quarterback and was named the Walter Camp National Player of Year.
Mayfield has the second-ranked Sooners (12-1) in the College Football Playoff. The 6-1 senior threw for 4,340 yards, second only to Oklahoma State's Mason Rudolph, with 41 touchdowns and only five interceptions. The Heisman favorite also ran for 310 yards and five scores this season.
Alabama's Minkah Fitzpatrick joined Charles Woodson and Patrick Peterson as the only players in college football history to win the Bednarik and Thorpe Awards in the same season.
Here is the complete list of winners Thursday:
Chuck Bednarik Award
College Defensive Player of the Year
Winner: Minkah Fitzpatrick, DB, Alabama (Jr.).
Other finalists: Bradley Chubb, DE, NC State (Sr.) and Roquan Smith, LB, Georgia (Jr.).
Biletnikoff Award
Outstanding receiver
Winner: James Washington, Oklahoma State (Sr.)
Other finalists: David Sills V, West Virginia (Jr.) and Michael Gallup, Colorado State (Sr.).
Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award
Nation’s outstanding kicker
Winner: Matt Gay, Utah (Jr.)
Other finalists: Domink Eberle, Utah State (So.) and Daniel Carlson, Auburn (Sr.).
Ray Guy Award
College Punter of the Year
Winner: Michael Dickson, Texas (Jr.)
Other finalists: JK Scott, Alabama (Sr.) and Mitch Wishnowsky, Utah (Jr.).
Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award
Nation’s best quarterback
Winner: Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma (Sr.)
Other finalists: J.T. Barrett, Ohio State (Sr.) and Mason Rudolph, Oklahoma State (Sr.)
Outland Trophy
Nation’s best interior lineman
Winner: Ed Oliver, Houston (So.)
Other finalists: Orlando Brown, Oklahoma (Jr.) and Quenton Nelson, Notre Dame (Sr.).
Jim Thorpe Award
Nation’s best defensive back
Winner: Minkah Fitzpatrick, Alabama (Jr.)
Other finalists: DeShon Elliott, Texas (Jr.) and Josh Jackson, Iowa (Jr.).
Doak Walker Award
Nation’s premier running back
Winner: Bryce Love, Stanford (Jr.)
Other finalists: Saquon Barkley, Penn State (Jr.) and Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin (Fr.).
Other awards were announced before Thursday's awards ceremony, they include:
Bronko Nagurski Award
Best defensive player
Winner: Bradley Chubb, DE, North Carolina State (Sr.)
Butkus Award
Best linebacker
Winner: Roquan Smith, Georgia (Jr.).
Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award
Best senior QB
Winner: Mason Rudolph, Oklahoma State
Burlsworth Trophy
Most outstanding player who began as a walk-on
Winner: Luke Falk, QB, Washington State (Sr.)
Walter Camp National Player of Year
Winner: Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma (Sr.)
John Mackey Award
Best tight end
Winner: Mark Andrews, Oklahoma (Jr.)
Coach of the Year
Winner: Scott Frost, Central Florida