Michigan State RB Cam Edwards Lands on Doak Walker Watch List

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The excitement around incoming transfer running back Cam Edwards is growing every day.

Now, it has hit its offseason peak with Edwards being listed on the Doak Walker Award Watch List.

If you're unfamiliar with the Doak Walker Award, it is presented annually to the top running back in college football, honoring excellence on the field while commemorating SMU legend Doak Walker.

The award was established in 1990 to recognize the nation's most outstanding collegiate running back. It was named after Walker, a three-time All-American at SMU and the 1948 Heisman Trophy winner.

The 2026 Doak Walker Award Watch List includes 60 of the nation's top running backs heading into the season. Edwards is one of those 60 and one of 12 Big Ten running backs nominated.

  • Jordon Davison — Oregon
  • Cam Edwards — Michigan State
  • Wayne Knight — UCLA
  • Carson Hansen — Penn State
  • James Peoples — Penn State
  • Bo Jackson — Ohio State
  • Fame Ijeboi — Purdue
  • Khobie Martin — Indiana
  • Kamari Moulton — Iowa
  • Turbo Richard — Indiana
  • Ca’Lil Valentine — Illinois
  • DeJuan Williams — Maryland

Pat Fitzgerald made it a huge priority to earn the commitment from Cam Edwards, and he wasn't the only one. Edwards' lead blocker at UConn, Ben Murawski, had also been won over by Fitzgerald and the Spartans staff.

Edwards committed to be a Spartan, and with it, instantly started getting compared to Kenneth Walker III.

Comparing the two isn't fair for anyone. Cam Edwards will just be Cam Edwards, and that will be more than good enough. But Spartan fans have seen just how big the right running back transfer can be for a team, and now all eyes are on Edwards.

Edwards finished last season ranked 15th in rushing yards (1,240), tied for 13th in rushing touchdowns (15), 13th in scrimmage yards (1,427) and tied for ninth in total touchdowns (16).

Now, Edwards is heading to East Lansing to be a bell cow for Michigan State and help guide the team from worst to first.

It's no secret Fitzgerald's motto for the season is something along the lines of "ground and pound until they make no sound." Reestablishing bully ball in East Lansing and getting the Green and White back to what made them so fearful in the 2010s will be a major goal.

To do that, the Spartans will need gritty defense and offensive line work, along with relentless, full-head-of-steam play by Edwards.

It's a tremendous feat to even be listed as one of the top 60 running backs in the nation, but that doesn't seem like it'll be enough for Edwards, as he's already been keeping receipts from X.

Expect Edwards to do everything he can to be the nation's best running back. For Michigan State to be as successful as it wants to be this year, Edwards is going to have to be the best.

2026 Preseason Watch List

  • Ajay Allen, WKU
  • Jabari Bates, San José State
  • Jadan Baugh, Florida
  • Braydon Bennett, Eastern Michigan
  • Vaughn Blue, Central Michigan
  • Mel Brown, Colorado State
  • Raleek Brown, Texas
  • Kenyon Clay, Arkansas State
  • Cam Cook, West Virginia
  • Manny Covey, Memphis
  • Kam Davis, Liberty
  • Jordon Davison, Oregon
  • Evan Dickens, Boston College
  • Cameron Dickey, Texas Tech
  • Cam Edwards, Michigan State
  • Dylan Edwards, Kansas
  • Leonard Farrow, Florida Atlantic
  • Mark Fletcher Jr., Miami
  • Matt Fuller, South Carolina
  • Ashton Grey, East Carolina
  • Carson Hansen, Penn State
  • Ahmad Hardy, Missouri
  • Samuel Harris, Wyoming
  • Caleb Hawkins, Oklahoma State
  • Marcellous Hawkins, Virginia Tech
  • Justice Haynes, Georgia Tech
  • Malachi Hosley, Georgia Tech
  • Makhi Hughes, Houston
  • Fame Ijeboi, Purdue
  • Bo Jackson, Ohio State
  • Telly Johnson Jr., NIU
  • Peyton Jones, Liberty
  • Demon June, North Carolina
  • Wayne Knight, UCLA
  • Ousmane Kromah, Florida State
  • Kewan Lacy, Ole Miss
  • Peyton Lewis, Virginia
  • Khobie Martin, Indiana
  • CJ Miller, Toledo
  • Adam Mohammed, Cal
  • Kamari Moulton, Iowa
  • AJ Newberry, Oregon State
  • Godspower Nwawuihe, Army
  • James Peoples, Penn State
  • George Pettaway, James Madison
  • Kendrick Raphael, SMU
  • Kedrick Reescano, Arizona
  • Turbo Richard, Indiana
  • Devin Roche, Old Dominion
  • Jayden Scott, NC State
  • Sutton Smith, Arkansas
  • Hollywood Smothers, Texas
  • Lucky Sutton, San Diego State
  • Herschel Turner, Nevada
  • Kanye Udoh, Liberty
  • Ca’Lil Valentine, Illinois
  • Duke Watson, UCF
  • Jahiem White, North Texas
  • DeJuan Williams, Maryland
  • Yasin Willis, Kansas

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