DALLAS – For the third straight day, an Ole Miss player finds himself on a preseason watch list.

Junior running back Jerrion Ealy was named to the watch list for the 2021 Doak Walker Award, the PwC SMU Athletic Forum announced Wednesday.

The award, which will name its 32nd recipient in 2021, is named for SMU’s three-time All-America running back Doak Walker. It is the only major collegiate award that requires all candidates to be in good academic standing and on schedule to graduate within one year of other students of the same classification.

Ealy led the Rebels in all rushing categories in 2020 with 147 carries for 745 yards and nine touchdowns. Ealy has also hauled in 15 catches for 155 yards and one touchdown.

The Walnut Grove, Mississippi, native ranked No. 25 in the FBS last season with 132.1 all-purpose yards per game. His 11 total touchdowns ranked No. 26. Ealy recently earned first-team preseason All-America honors from Phil Steele as an all-purpose player.

Ealy has tallied one kick return touchdown each of the last two seasons. He returned a second quarter kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown last year vs. LSU in Baton Rouge. It was the sixth 100-yard touchdown return in school history and longest since 2012. Ealy has averaged 26.3 yards per return over the course of his career, a mark that is top 20 amongst active leaders.

The PwC SMU Athletic Forum Board of Directors will name ten semifinalists in November, and three finalists, as voted on by the Doak Walker Award National Selection Committee, will be announced in November. The committee will cast a second vote in December to determine the recipient. The National Selection Committee consists of past recipients, former NFL All-Pro and college All-America running backs, media members and selected special representatives.

The recipient of the 2021 Doak Walker Award will be announced live on The Home Depot College Football Awards.

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