Boise State lineman selected to national award watch list

Senior Braxton Fely up for Polynesian College Player of the Year

Boise State Broncos defensive tackle Braxton Fely. | Marco Garcia-Imagn Images

Boise State senior Braxton Fely was placed on the Polynesian College Player of the Year watch list, the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame announced on Thursday. 

Fely, a returning starter at defensive tackle, logged 24 total tackles and 5.5 sacks last season as Boise State finished 12-2 overall and reached the College Football Playoff. 

The 6-foot-1, 296-pound Fely entered the transfer portal during spring practice but opened to return to the Broncos for his senior season.

“I’m super happy to be back,” Fely said at the beginning of fall camp. “And very fortunate they let me come back. … It means a lot and shows how much (head coach Spencer Danielson) and the boys care about me and it just gives me a different kind of drive to put forth into this team and to show that I actually do care and want to be here.”

Fely is the 10th Boise State player to be nominated for a national preseason award.

Quarterback Maddux Madsen, the 2025 Mountain West preseason player of the year, is up for two national player of the year honors: the Maxwell Award and Walter Camp Award. The junior was also nominated for the Davey O’Brien Award (best quarterback in college football). 

Madsen threw for 3,018 yards and 23 touchdowns with six interceptions as a sophomore while running for 221 yards and five TDs. 

Sire Gaines, a redshirt freshman, is on the Doak Walker Award (nation’s top running back) watch list. Gaines played in just three games last year before suffering a season-ending ankle injury. 

Senior tight end Matt Lauter is up for the Mackey Award (best tight end in college football). Lauter led MWC tight ends a season ago in catches (47), yards (619) and touchdowns (seven).

Junior offensive tackle Kage Casey is on watch lists for the Outland Trophy (college football’s top interior lineman) and Lombardi Award (top lineman or linebacker). Casey has made 28 career starts for the Broncos at left tackle. 

Junior edge rusher Jayden Virgin-Morgan is also on the Lombardi Award watch list and is up for two national defensive player of the year awards: the Chuck Bednarik Award and the Bronko Nagurski Trophy. Virgin-Morgan led the Broncos last year with 10 sacks. 

Marco Notarainni, a senior linebacker, was named to the Wuerffel Trophy (college football player who best combines community service and leadership on and off the field) watch list. Notarainni was also nominated for the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team.

As a junior, Notarainni had 60 total tackles, 3.5 sacks, three quarterback hurries, three pass breakups and two fumble recoveries. 

Junior safety Ty Benefield and senior cornerback A’Marion McCoy are on the Jim Thorpe Award (best defensive back in college football) watch list. 

Benefield piled up a team-best 82 total tackles a season ago while also adding five pass breakups, two interceptions and two fumble recoveries. McCoy, who is also up for the Chuck Bednarik Award, tied for second in the country last year with 11 pass breakups. 

Senior Mason Hutton is on the Patrick Mannelly Award (nation’s top long snapper) watch list.