Stanford's Sam Roush Named to Prestigious Award Watchlist

Stanford football is riding high into a bye week following a win over San Jose State in the Bill Walsh Legacy Game and even while enjoying a week off, the Cardinal are still seeing some of their hard work pay dividends.

Tight end Sam Roush, who was named one of the two season long captains for the Cardinal and is one of the program's most well-respected leaders, earned some big time recognition this week.

Roush was named to the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year watchlist, a very prestigious award to recognize a player's leadership. The award recognizes the player who demonstrates exceptional leadership, character and commitment and honors players who embody the same spirit, leadership and veteran presence as NFL superstar, Jason Witten.

Witten, a former Walter Payton Man of the Year, played 17 seasons in the NFL, primarily for the Dallas Cowboys, and is likely a first ballot Hall of Famer at tight end.

Beyond a player's performance on the field, the award celebrates student-athletes who make a meaningful impact on and off the field. Roush, a star tight end for the Cardinal, is also a very good student in the classroom, being named to the ACC All-Academic Team in 2024, the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District team in 2024 and the Pac-12 Academic Honor Roll in 2023.

So far this season, Roush may not have the stats to show it, but he has been a key part of Stanford's offense. In four games with a reception this season, Roush has 10 catches for 130 yards and two touchdowns with his best performance coming against Boston College in the 30-20 upset win.

Catching three passes for 79 yards, Roush recorded a touchdown in the game that ended up being a major momentum shifter and opened a lot of eyes to what this Stanford program could become.

In four seasons for Stanford thus far, Roush has recorded 80 catches for 786 yards and four touchdowns, averaging 9.8 yards per catch. As a junior in 2024, Roush broke out in a big way, catching 40 passes for 334 yards and two touchdowns.

While not a highly touted NFL prospect, Roush's size and physicality make him a player to watch as the season progresses, with the potential for him to rise up NFL draft boards, assuming that he keeps playing well.

The rest of the season will be a tough one for the Cardinal, who are entering a three-game gauntlet of SMU, Florida State and Miami, but if Roush can string together some good games against those teams, his future could be very bright in football.