# Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award preseason watchlist

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/earl-campbell-tyler-rose-award-preseason-watchlist
> Updated: 2026-08-26T14:43:34.000Z. Sources: 10. Developments: 3.

The preseason watchlist for the 2026 Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award has been announced. The award recognizes the top Division I football offensive player who demonstrates integrity, teamwork, and tenacity, while maintaining ties to Texas through birth or education.

Initial nominees include University of Delaware players Viron Ellison Jr. and Da'Wain Lofton, marking the first time players from that program have appeared on the list. Ellison Jr. is a Dallas native, while Lofton is from Fort Worth. Other named players include Arkansas senior tight end Jaden Platt, a native of Haslet, Texas; Boise State University’s Matt Wagner, a native of Prosper, Texas; and Western Kentucky University’s Nonso Omezi, a Houston native.

Recent additions to the watchlist include Penn State players James Peoples and Chase Sowell. Peoples, a running back from San Antonio, previously appeared on the Doak Walker Award watchlist, while Sowell is a wide receiver from Hunter, Texas. 

The selection process will narrow the list to 16 semifinalists in November and five finalists in December. The winner will be announced in January 2027 and honored at a banquet in Tyler, Texas.

## Timeline

### 2026-08-26: Penn State players named to Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award watch list

Penn State running back James Peoples and wide receiver Chase Sowell have been named to the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award watch list.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/penn-state-players-named-to-earl-campbell-tyler-rose-award-watch-list

### 2026-08-25: Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award preseason watchlist announced

Viron Ellison Jr., Da'Wain Lofton, and Jaden Platt have been named to the 2026 Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award preseason watchlist.

5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/earl-campbell-tyler-rose-award-preseason-watchlist-announced

### 2026-08-25: Matt Wagner and Nonso Omezi named to Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award watch list

Boise State's Matt Wagner and Western Kentucky's Nonso Omezi have been named to the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award watch list.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/matt-wagner-and-nonso-omezi-named-to-earl-campbell-tyler-rose-award-watch-list

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Cite as: Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award preseason watchlist. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/earl-campbell-tyler-rose-award-preseason-watchlist