Ventrell Miller, Jaydon Hill Named to 2022 Comeback Player of the Year Award Watch List
Hill was named SEC Defensive Player of the Week on Monday.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Ventrell Miller and Jaydon Hill were named to the 2022 Comeback Player of the Year Award Watch List, the College Sports Communicators in association with The Associated Press and Fiesta Bowl Organization announced today. Miller and Hill are two of 61 college football student-athletes under consideration for the award.
The award recognizes college football student-athletes from all divisions of college football for overcoming injury, illness, or other circumstances. At the conclusion of each season, in a vote by a panel of writers, editors, and sports information directors, three college football student-athletes will be honored as Comeback Player of the Year Award winners at the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl.
Last season, Miller played in two games before being sidelined with a season-ending injury. So far in his sixth season, the Lakeland, Florida native has tallied 40 tackles, along with five quarterback hurries, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery in five games.
Hill earned a medical redshirt last year after suffering a season ending injury prior to the season. The redshirt sophomore cornerback was named the SEC Defensive Player of the Week on Monday following his two-interception performance against Missouri, including a 49-yard pick-six in the second quarter, in just his second game back from injury.
The initial watch list only includes players from Division I schools. Subsequent lists will include players from all levels of college football.
2022 Comeback Player of the Year Watch List
CONFERENCE
PLAYER
SCHOOL
POSITION
ACC
Chibueze Onwuka
Boston College
DT
ACC
Phil Jurkovec
Boston College
QB
ACC
Bryan Breese
Clemson
DL
ACC
Frank Ladson Jr
Miami (Fla)
WR
ACC
Payton Wilson
NC State
LB
ACC
Christopher Toudle
NC State
TE
ACC
Trebor Pena
Syracuse
WR
ACC
Lavel Davis Jr
Virginia
WR
BIG 12
JT Daniels
West Virginia
QB
BIG 12
Khalid Duke
Kansas State
LB
BIG 12
Adrian Martinez
Kansas State
QB
BIG 12
Dillon Gabriel
Oklahoma
QB
BIG 12
Trace Ford
Oklahoma State
DE
BIG TEN
DJ Matthews Jr
Indiana
WR
BIG TEN
Dontay Demus Jr
Maryland
WR
BIG TEN
Fa’Najae Gotay
Maryland
LB
BIG TEN
Mohamed Ibrahim
Minnesota
RB
BIG TEN
Treyson Potts
Minnesota
RB
BIG TEN
Gabe Ervin Jr
Nebraska
RB
BIG TEN
Bryce Kirtz
Northwestern
WR
BIG TEN
Cam Porter
Northwestern
RB
BIG TEN
Josh Proctor
Ohio State
S
BIG TEN
P.J Mustipher
Penn State
DT
BIG TEN
Adisa Isaac
Penn State
DE
BIG TEN
Cory Trice
Purdue
CB
BIG TEN
Aron Cruickshank
Rutgers
WR
BIG TEN
Ronnie Bell
Michigan
WR
BIG TEN
Jack Eschenbach
Wisconsin
TE
CONFERENCE USA
Chase Cunningham
Middle Tennessee
QB
CONFERENCE USA
Oscar Adaway III
North Texas
RB
CONFERENCE USA
Jyaire Shorter
North Texas
WR
CONFERENCE USA
Joshua Simon
Western Kentucky
TE
INDEPENDENT
Isaac Rex
BYU
TE
INDEPENDENT
Blake Fisher
Notre Dame
OL
INDEPENDENT
Marist Liufau
Notre Dame
LB
MID-AMERICAN
Jaylon Bester
Miami (Ohio)
RB
MID-AMERICAN
Kyle Pugh
Northern Illinois
LB
MOUNTAIN WEST
Miles Kendrick
New Mexico
QB
MOUNTAIN WEST
Deron Harrell
Wyoming
CB
PAC 12
Justin Flowe
Oregon
LB
PAC 12
Cam McCormick
Oregon
TE
PAC 12
Isaac Hodgins
Oregon State
DL
PAC 12
Laitu Latu
UCLA
LB
PAC 12
JaTravis Broughton
Utah
CB
PAC 12
Michael Penix Jr
Washington
QB
PAC 12
Richard Newton
Washington
RB
SEC
Jalen Catalon
Arkansas
S
SEC
Ventrell Miller
Florida
LB
SEC
Jaydon Hill
Florida
CB
SEC
Dominick Blaylock
Georgia
WR
SEC
Kendall Milton
Georgia
RB
SEC
Octavious Oxendine
Kentucky
DL
SEC
Eli Cox
Kentucky
OL
SEC
Kayshon Boutte
LSU
WR
SEC
Ali Gaye
LSU
DE
SEC
Ennis Rakestraw Jr
Missouri
DB
SEC
Jaylon Robinson
Ole Miss
WR
SEC
Haynes King
Texas A&M
QB
SEC
Myles Jones
Texas A&M
CB
SEC
Re’Mahn Davis
Vanderbilt
RB
SUN BELT
Todd Bradley-Glenn
Georgia Southern
LB
