IRVING, Texas – Student-athletes from Navy, North Texas and Tulane claimed major individual awards as the American Conference announced its 2025 players of the year and all-conference selections as chosen by the league’s 14 head coaches.
North Texas quarterback Drew Mestemaker was chosen as the American’s Offensive Player of the Year, while his teammate running back Caleb Hawkins was picked as the Rookie of the Year. The Navy duo of defensive lineman Landon Robinson and deep snapper Rayne Fry were named Defensive Player of the Year and Deep Snapper of the Year. Tulane kicker Patrick Durkin was named the Special Teams Player of the Year. North Texas head coach Eric Morris was named by his peers as Coach of the Year.
Mestemaker leads FBS with 3,835 passing yards and has thrown 29 touchdowns against just four interceptions. He broke the American’s single-game record with 608 passing yards at Charlotte on October 24. The redshirt freshman ranks third in the nation in passing efficiency (178.2), fourth in passing touchdowns (29), fourth in total offense (324.3 yards per game), ninth in completion percentage (70.9 percent).
Robinson leads the American with 0.59 sacks per game with 6.5 sacks in 11 games. The senior has 54 tackles on the campaign and becomes the first Midshipman to earn Defensive Player of the Year honors.
Durkin is 22-of-24 on field goals and 36-of-37 on PATs for the season. His field goal percentage of 92.3 percent is ninth in FBS and his total points of 102 ranks 15
th in FBS. Durkin is the first Tulane player to earn the Special Teams Player of the Year.
Fry earned the American’s first Deep Snapper of the Year honor as the Midshipmen did not allow a kick or punt block all season.
Hawkins leads FBS with 23 rushing touchdowns, 26 total touchdowns and 156 total points scored. His total touchdowns and 156 total points rank second on the American’s single-season list. He is third in FBS in all-purpose yards (140.9 per game), is 13
th in rushing yards with 1,216 and is 16
th in yards per carry (6.3). Hawkins was the lone player to be unanimously selected to the all-conference first team.
Morris has led North Texas to an 11-1 record in the regular season and a 7-1 record in American play. The Mean Green have the highest scoring offense in FBS with 46.8 points per game and also lead the country in total offense with 511.8 yards per game. North Texas is fourth in FBS in turnover margin at +1.08 per game and is 10
th in passing yards allowed at 164.7 per contest.
In addition to the major award winners, the American also named its first, second, third and honorable mention all-conference teams. Four players were repeat selections from the 2024 first team - Robinson, Army center Brady Small, Memphis defensive lineman William Whitlow Jr. and Tulane offensive guard Shadre Hurst.
| Offensive Player of the Year |
| QB |
Drew Mestemaker |
North Texas |
|
|
|
| Defensive Player of the Year |
| DL |
Landon Robinson |
Navy |
|
|
|
| Special Teams Player of the Year |
| K |
Patrick Durkin |
Tulane |
|
|
|
| Deep Snapper of the Year |
| DS |
Rayne Fry |
Navy |
|
|
|
| Rookie of the Year |
| RB |
Caleb Hawkins |
North Texas |
|
|
|
| Coach of the Year |
| Eric Morris, North Texas |
|
| All-Conference First Team |
| WR |
Anthony Smith |
East Carolina |
| WR |
Cortez Braham Jr. |
Memphis |
| WR |
Wyatt Young |
North Texas |
| OT |
Jimarion McCrimmon |
East Carolina |
| OT |
Travis Burke |
Memphis |
| OG |
Gabe Blair |
North Texas |
| OG |
Shadre Hurst |
Tulane |
| C |
Brady Small |
Army |
| TE |
Brody Foley |
Tulsa |
| QB |
Drew Mestemaker |
North Texas |
| RB |
Caleb Hawkins* |
North Texas |
| RB |
Robert Henry Jr. |
UTSA |
| DL |
Zion Wilson |
East Carolina |
| DL |
William Whitlow Jr. |
Memphis |
| DL |
Landon Robinson |
Navy |
| DL |
Santana Hopper |
Tulane |
| LB |
Sam Brumfield |
Memphis |
| LB |
Mac Harris |
South Florida |
| LB |
Shad Banks Jr. |
UTSA |
| LB |
Ray Coney |
Tulsa |
| CB |
DeShawn Rucker |
South Florida |
| CB |
Elijah Green |
Tulsa |
| S |
Jack Tchienchou |
Tulane |
| S |
Ja’Marley Riddle |
East Carolina |
| K |
Patrick Durkin |
Tulane |
| P |
Alec Clark |
Tulane |
| RS |
Sutton Smith |
Memphis |
| DS |
Jackson Lee |
Florida Atlantic |
| DS |
Rayne Fry |
Navy |
| All-Conference Second Team |
| WR |
Iverson Hooks |
UAB |
| WR |
Easton Messer |
Florida Atlantic |
| WR |
Eli Heidenreich |
Navy |
| OT |
Braydon Nelson |
North Texas |
| OT |
Connor McLaughlin |
South Florida |
| OG |
Emmanuel Poku |
East Carolina |
| OG |
Ben Purvis |
Navy |
| C |
Tay Yanta |
North Texas |
| TE |
Peter Clarke |
Temple |
| QB |
Byrum Brown |
South Florida |
| RB |
Alex Tecza |
Navy |
| RB |
Dominic Richardson |
Tulsa |
| DL |
JD Lampley |
East Carolina |
| DL |
Cam'Ron Stewart |
Temple |
| DL |
Tre'von Mcalpine |
Tulane |
| DL |
J'Dan Burnett |
Tulsa |
| LB |
Andon Thomas |
Army |
| LB |
Ethan Wesloski |
North Texas |
| LB |
Jhalyn Shuler |
South Florida |
| LB |
Sam Howard |
Tulane |
| CB |
Omarion Cooper |
Memphis |
| CB |
David Fisher |
North Texas |
| S |
Fred Gaskin |
South Florida |
| S |
Lento Smith Jr. |
Tulsa |
| K |
Nico Gramatica |
South Florida |
| P |
Caile Hogan |
UTSA |
| RS |
JoJo Bermudez |
Temple |
| DS |
Triston O'Brien |
East Carolina |
| All-Conference Third Team |
| WR |
Javen Nicholas |
Charlotte |
| WR |
Yannick Smith |
East Carolina |
| WR |
Devin McCuin |
UTSA |
| OT |
Jimto Obidegwu |
North Texas |
| OT |
Derrick Graham |
Tulane |
| OG |
Johnny Dickson |
North Texas |
| OG |
Zane Herring |
South Florida |
| C |
Cole Best |
South Florida |
| TE |
Houston Thomas |
UTSA |
| QB |
Blake Horvath |
Navy |
| RB |
Sutton Smith |
Memphis |
| RB |
Quinton Jackson |
Rice |
| DL |
Jack Bousum |
Army |
| DL |
CJ Doggette Jr. |
Florida Atlantic |
| DL |
Pooda Walker |
Memphis |
| DL |
Tony Anyanwu |
Rice |
| DL |
Josh Celiscar |
South Florida |
| LB |
Dameon Wilson |
East Carolina |
| LB |
Leon Hart Jr. |
Florida Atlantic |
| LB |
MarcAnthony Parker |
Navy |
| LB |
Trey Fields |
North Texas |
| LB |
Andrew Awe |
Rice |
| LB |
Harvey Dyson |
Tulane |
| CB |
Ben Osueke |
Temple |
| CB |
Javion White |
Tulane |
| S |
Will Jones |
North Texas |
| S |
Jimmy Wyrick |
UTSA |
| K |
Gianni Spetic |
Memphis |
| P |
Alex Bacchetta |
Rice |
| RS |
Solomon Beebe |
UAB |
| RS |
TJ Smith |
Tulane |
| DS |
Jason Arredondo |
Tulane |
| Honorable Mention |
| RB |
Nykahi Davenport |
South Florida |
| LB |
Ty Morris |
Rice |
| LB |
Curly Ordonez |
Temple |
| CB |
Jahiem Johnson |
Tulane |
| S |
Casey Larkin |
Army |
* denotes unanimous first-team selection