Trevor Lawrence, Chuba Hubbard Among Players Named to Team Honoring Community Work
The American Football Coaches Association recognized 22 players and one coach on its 2020 Allstate AFCA Good Works team.
The list is comprised of 11 Division I FBS athletes and 11 players from FCS Divisions ll, lll, and NAIA schools.
The roster includes Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence, Oklahoma defensive back Chanse Sylvie, Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger and Oklahoma State running back Chuba Hubbard, all selected from a pool of 149 players nominated for their community involvement.
Howard wide receiver DaShawn Simon and North Carolina Central defensive back Stephen Stokes were chosen as well, becoming the ninth and 10th players from historically Black colleges and universities to be recognized in the program’s history. This will be the first Allstate AFCA Good Works team which selects multiple players from HBCUs in the same year.
The 2020 team was chosen based on players' outstanding public service and community work.
Lawrence was recognized for several initiatives, including raising money to provide COVID-19 assistance in his hometown, Cartersville, Ga. He was also nominated for his involvement in peaceful demonstrations related to the Black Lives Matter movement.
Ehlinger raised $200,000 through public and private donations on his GoFundMe, which he set up in an effort to assist with COVID-19 relief.
Many players are involved with youth outreach in their communities, including Hubbard, who founded a non-profit organization that works to help at-risk youth learn life and leadership skills. Simon volunteers with his local Boys and Girls club and was nominated for his work with the Washington-based non-profit, The Grassroot Project, which promotes youth health education.
“This year has brought new meaning and purpose to the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team, and this group of 22 players has risen to these challenges to give back to their communities in tremendous ways,” AFCA Executive Director Todd Berry said in an announcement on the program's website.
A full list of the 2020 roster is below.
- Neal Brown, coach, West Virginia
- Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson
- Rakavius Chambers, OL, Duke
- Trenton Gill, P, N.C. State
- Chuba Hubbard, RB, Oklahoma State
- Treyjohn Butler, DB, Stanford
- Elijah Hicks, DB, Cal
- Luke Fortner, OL, Kentucky
- Adam Shibley, LB, Michigan
- Teton Saltes, OL, New Mexico
- Chanse Sylvie, DB, Oklahoma
- Sam Ehlinger, QB, Texas
- Mike Delich, LB, Bethel University (Minn.)
- Alexander Findura, DL, Bloomsburg University
- Jacob Norris, OL, Chadron State College
- Tyler Bradfield, LB, Grand Valley State University
- DaShawn Simon, WR, Howard University
- Stephen Stokes, DB, North Carolina Central University
- Chris Backes, QB, Saint John’s University (Minn.)
- Jackson Ross, DL, University of Chicago
- Steven Spirakis, K, University of Rochester
- Andrew Whitaker, DB, Washington University in St. Louis
- Jace Neugebauer, LB, William Penn University
