Nebraska’s Teddy Prochazka Earns National Spotlight with Wuerffel Trophy Watch List Honor

At 6-foot-10, Teddy Prochazka is used to standing out on the football field. However, it’s what he’s doing off the field that’s now getting national attention. The Nebraska offensive lineman is mainly known for his size and strength in the trenches. Well, he is also earning headlines for a much different reason.

Today, Prochazka was added to the 2025 Wuerffel Trophy Watch List. This is an honor that rewards college football players who have the greatest impact in their communities. With Prochazka, it's not just a watch list because it's a testament to years of commitment outside of the game.

Teddy Prochazka Became the Quiet Force Making a Loud Impact

This isn't the first recognition Prochazka has received for his service, and it probably won't be the last. He was also named to the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team Watch List earlier this month. It was an award that brought focus to student-athletes who use their platform to give back.

.@TeddyProchazka has been named to the Wuerffel Trophy Watchlist‼️ pic.twitter.com/klg3KgnLFy
— Nebraska Football (@HuskerFootball) July 31, 2025

Prochazka has over 45 community service activities in just the past year alone. That's a level of engagement that would be extraordinary for anyone, much less a Division I football player juggling rehab, school, and preparation for games.

From the Boys and Girls Club to the Food Bank of Lincoln and the F Street Community Center, Prochazka has not only prioritized giving back to people at all points in the community but has done so with haste.

The Wuerffel Trophy, now in its 21st year of existence, is named in honor of 1996 Heisman Trophy winner Danny Wuerffel. He has achieved as much fame for his selfless endeavors as for his time under center. The trophy honors those athletes who tread down that same path. Particularly, the one in front with empathy and making a difference. In that respect, Teddy Prochazka is a perfect fit.

Prochazka's impact goes well beyond one season or a handful of service efforts. His leadership has been a defining characteristic of his Nebraska career. Earlier this spring, he was awarded the Sam Foltz 27 Hero Leadership Award. It is an award that is bestowed upon the players who reflect the community ethic of the late Husker punter.

For three consecutive years, he's also been a member of the Tom Osborne and Brook Berringer Citizenship Teams. Both of which emphasize the Huskers who value serving others.

Can Teddy Prochazka’s Character Be Made For a Wuerffel Win?

Prochazka's journey on the field has not been an easy one. He's suffered season-ending injuries in 2021, 2022, and 2024, and spent most of 2023 rehabbing another grueling rehab.

But even when he was benched, he never lost contact with the team or the community. He stayed engaged, offering guidance to young players and leading in ways that don't get measured on a stat sheet.

When he did come back to play in 2023, he began six of the final five games at left tackle and was heavily involved in assisting Nebraska's running game in rising to No. 2 in the Big Ten. In 2021, he was only the second true freshman in the modern history of the program to begin a game at left tackle for the Huskers.

Well, now that it's safe to say, it's just evidence that his ability has always been as apparent as his work ethic.

Prior to his days as a Husker, Prochazka was a three-year starter at Elkhorn South High School, where he dominated games and was an All-Nebraska and Super-State selection. He was considered one of the top 75 recruits in the nation. National powerhouses such as Michigan, Iowa, and Arizona State offered him scholarships, but Prochazka decided to remain at home and etch his name in Nebraska.

Along with that, he's appeared on the Nebraska Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll eight times and has had several Academic All-Big Ten selections. He's also slated to receive his master's in applied science by December 2025.

More From Nebraska On SI

Stay up to date on all things Huskers by bookmarking Nebraska Cornhuskers On SI, subscribing to HuskerMax on YouTube, and visiting HuskerMax.com daily.