Doak Walker Award: Odds, winners, trophy, when is it awarded?

The Doak Walker Award is given to the best running back in college football each season.

It is named after legendary SMU running back Doak Walker, who won the Heisman Trophy for college football's best overall player in 1948.

The Doak Walker Award doesn't carry the prestige of the Heisman, but since that trophy has only been given to two RBs since 2000, the award given to the nation's top running back has taken on more importance for players at that position.

This award was first given out in 1990, and plenty of its winners have gone on to have glittering NFL careers. Now that players have more incentive to stay in college thanks to NIL payments, we could see more competition than ever for this trophy.

Let's get into the odds to win the Doak Walker Award.

Doak Walker Award odds

Odds to win the 2025 Doak Walker Award are not yet available.

Doak Walker Award past winners

Year	Player	College
2024	Ashton Jeanty	Boise State
2023	Ollie Gordon II	Oklahoma State
2022	Bijan Robinson	Texas
2021	Kenneth Walker III	Michigan State
2020	Najee Harris	Alabama
2019	Jonathan Taylor	Wisconsin
2018	Jonathan Taylor	Wisconsin
2017	Bryce Love	Stanford
2016	D'Onta Foreman	Texas
2015	Derrick Henry	Alabama
2014	Melvin Gordon	Wisconsin
2013	Andre Williams	Boston College
2012	Montee Ball	Wisconsin
2011	Trent Richardson	Alabama
2010	LaMichael James	Oregon
2009	Toby Gerhart	Stanford
2008	Shonn Greene	Iowa
2007	Darren McFadden	Arkansas
2006	Darren McFadden	Arkansas
2005	Reggie Bush	USC
2004	Cedric Benson	Texas
2003	Chris Perry	Michigan
2002	Larry Johnson	Penn State
2001	Luke Staley	BYU
2000	LaDainian Tomlinson	TCU
1999	Ron Dayne	Wisconsin
1998	Ricky Williams	Texas
1997	Ricky Williams	Texas
1996	Byron Hanspard	Texas Tech
1995	Eddie George	Ohio State
1994	Rashaan Salaam	Colorado
1993	Byron "Bam" Morris	Texas Tech
1992	Garrison Hearst	Georgia
1991	Trevor Cobb	Rice
1990	Greg Lewis	Washington

Doak Walker Award trophy

The Doak Walker Award is bronze and features a sculpture of Doak Walker atop a podium that features a plaque with the winner's name on it.

Doak Walker Award voting

A committee of sportswriters, TV commentators, analysts, radio personalities, and former All-America and All-Pro players vote on the running back to win the Doak Walker Award from a list of semifinalists.

The semifinalists are selected by the SMU Athletic Forum Board of Directors, which is responsible for athletics at Walker's alma mater.

When is the Doak Walker Award winner announced?

The award winner is announced at the end of the college football regular season in December. The winner is honored at the Doak Walker Award Presentation Banquet in Dallas, Texas every February.

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Odds displayed within this article were correct at the time of writing and are subject to change.