University of Tennessee Athletics
DeSean Bishop Named To Walter Camp Player of the Year Award Watch List
August 17, 2026 | Football
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The Walter Camp Football Foundation announced Monday that Tennessee senior running back DeSean Bishop was one of 50 players named to the preseason watch list for the 2026 Walter Camp Player of the Year Award, the nation's fourth-oldest individual college football accolade.
Bishop, a preseason All-SEC selection by multiple outlets and a watch list candidate for the Maxwell Award, is one of nine running backs on the Walter Camp Player of the Year watch list.
A Knoxville native and former walk-on, Bishop enters the 2026 season as one of the SEC's premier running backs after earning second-team All-SEC honors in his first season as Tennessee's starter in 2025. The Karns High School product is the Vols' first returning 1,000-yard rusher since Jalen Hurd in 2016.
Bishop rushed for 1,076 yards and 16 touchdowns on 182 carries while starting all 13 games in 2025. He added 15 receptions for 135 yards and finished with a team-best 1,211 all-purpose yards, averaging 93.2 per game.
His 16 rushing touchdowns tied for second in the SEC and ranked sixth nationally while tying for the fourth-most rushing scores in a single season in Tennessee history. Bishop ranked fourth in the SEC in rushing yards, fifth in rushing yards per game (82.8) and fourth in yards per carry (5.9).
The physical runner eclipsed the 100-yard rushing mark three times and totaled 649 rushing yards after contact during his breakout campaign.
In 23 career games, Bishop has rushed for 1,531 yards and 19 touchdowns on 256 carries, averaging 6.0 yards per attempt. He has also recorded four career 100-yard rushing performances.
The Walter Camp Player of the Year Award is presented annually to the nation's most outstanding player. The 2026 Player of Year watch list will be narrowed to 10 semi-finalists in early November, and three finalists will be announced in early December.
The 2026 Walter Camp Player of the Year recipient, which is voted on by the 138 NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision head coaches and sports information directors, will be announced in the second week of December.
Dodd Trophy Watch List
RB DeSean Bishop
Walter Camp Player of the Year Watch List
Maxwell Award Watch List
All-SEC Second Team (Athlon)
All-SEC Third Team (Media, Phil Steele)
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
LS Bennett Brady
Mannelly Award Watch List
All-SEC Third Team (Phil Steele)
LB Amare Campbell
Butkus Award Watch List
All-SEC Second Team (Athlon, Phil Steele)
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
LB Arion Carter
Butkus Award Watch List
Lott IMPACT Trophy Watch List
All-SEC Third Team (Media, Athlon)
All-SEC Fourth Team (Phil Steele)
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
TE Ethan Davis
John Mackey Award Preseason Watch List
All-SEC Fourth Team (Athlon, Phil Steele)
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
DL Xavier Gilliam
All-SEC Fourth Team (Athlon)
OL Donovan Haslam
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
DL Daevin Hobbs
All-SEC Third Team (Phil Steele)
DB Kayin Lee
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
WR Mike Matthews
All-SEC Fourth Team (Athlon, Phil Steele)
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
DB TJ Metcalf
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
OL Wendell Moe Jr.
Lombardi Award Watch List
Outland Trophy Watch List
Walter Camp All-America Second Team
On3 All-America Third Team
Athlon All-America Third Team
All-SEC First Team (Athlon)
All-SEC Third Team (Media, Phil Steele)
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
DB Qua Moss
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
OL Jesse Perry
All-SEC First Team (Phil Steele)
All-SEC Fourth Team (Athlon)
PK Cooper Ranvier
Lou Groza Award Watch List
DB Ty Redmond
Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List
Athlon All-America Fourth Team
All-SEC Second Team (Athlon, Phil Steele)
P Jackson Ross
Ray Guy Award Watch List
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
OL David Sanders Jr.
All-SEC Second Team (Athlon, Phil Steele)
All-SEC Third Team (Media)
LB Edwin Spillman
Allstate Wuerffel Trophy Watch List
AFCA Allstate Good Works Team Nominee
WR Braylon Staley
All-SEC Second Team (Athlon, Phil Steele)
LB Jeremiah Telander
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
OL Shamurad Umarov
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
Bishop, a preseason All-SEC selection by multiple outlets and a watch list candidate for the Maxwell Award, is one of nine running backs on the Walter Camp Player of the Year watch list.
A Knoxville native and former walk-on, Bishop enters the 2026 season as one of the SEC's premier running backs after earning second-team All-SEC honors in his first season as Tennessee's starter in 2025. The Karns High School product is the Vols' first returning 1,000-yard rusher since Jalen Hurd in 2016.
Bishop rushed for 1,076 yards and 16 touchdowns on 182 carries while starting all 13 games in 2025. He added 15 receptions for 135 yards and finished with a team-best 1,211 all-purpose yards, averaging 93.2 per game.
His 16 rushing touchdowns tied for second in the SEC and ranked sixth nationally while tying for the fourth-most rushing scores in a single season in Tennessee history. Bishop ranked fourth in the SEC in rushing yards, fifth in rushing yards per game (82.8) and fourth in yards per carry (5.9).
The physical runner eclipsed the 100-yard rushing mark three times and totaled 649 rushing yards after contact during his breakout campaign.
In 23 career games, Bishop has rushed for 1,531 yards and 19 touchdowns on 256 carries, averaging 6.0 yards per attempt. He has also recorded four career 100-yard rushing performances.
The Walter Camp Player of the Year Award is presented annually to the nation's most outstanding player. The 2026 Player of Year watch list will be narrowed to 10 semi-finalists in early November, and three finalists will be announced in early December.
The 2026 Walter Camp Player of the Year recipient, which is voted on by the 138 NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision head coaches and sports information directors, will be announced in the second week of December.
Tennessee Football — 2026 Preseason Honors
Head Coach Josh HeupelDodd Trophy Watch List
RB DeSean Bishop
Walter Camp Player of the Year Watch List
Maxwell Award Watch List
All-SEC Second Team (Athlon)
All-SEC Third Team (Media, Phil Steele)
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
LS Bennett Brady
Mannelly Award Watch List
All-SEC Third Team (Phil Steele)
LB Amare Campbell
Butkus Award Watch List
All-SEC Second Team (Athlon, Phil Steele)
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
LB Arion Carter
Butkus Award Watch List
Lott IMPACT Trophy Watch List
All-SEC Third Team (Media, Athlon)
All-SEC Fourth Team (Phil Steele)
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
TE Ethan Davis
John Mackey Award Preseason Watch List
All-SEC Fourth Team (Athlon, Phil Steele)
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
DL Xavier Gilliam
All-SEC Fourth Team (Athlon)
OL Donovan Haslam
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
DL Daevin Hobbs
All-SEC Third Team (Phil Steele)
DB Kayin Lee
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
WR Mike Matthews
All-SEC Fourth Team (Athlon, Phil Steele)
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
DB TJ Metcalf
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
OL Wendell Moe Jr.
Lombardi Award Watch List
Outland Trophy Watch List
Walter Camp All-America Second Team
On3 All-America Third Team
Athlon All-America Third Team
All-SEC First Team (Athlon)
All-SEC Third Team (Media, Phil Steele)
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
DB Qua Moss
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
OL Jesse Perry
All-SEC First Team (Phil Steele)
All-SEC Fourth Team (Athlon)
PK Cooper Ranvier
Lou Groza Award Watch List
DB Ty Redmond
Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List
Athlon All-America Fourth Team
All-SEC Second Team (Athlon, Phil Steele)
P Jackson Ross
Ray Guy Award Watch List
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
OL David Sanders Jr.
All-SEC Second Team (Athlon, Phil Steele)
All-SEC Third Team (Media)
LB Edwin Spillman
Allstate Wuerffel Trophy Watch List
AFCA Allstate Good Works Team Nominee
WR Braylon Staley
All-SEC Second Team (Athlon, Phil Steele)
LB Jeremiah Telander
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
OL Shamurad Umarov
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
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