Colorado transfer RB named to 2026 Doak Walker Award watch list

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End-of-season award watchlists are released nearly every day now as we get closer to the start of the 2026 college football season. On Tuesday, the Doak Walker Award watchlist came out, given to the nation's most outstanding running back.

One Colorado Buffalo made the list and may start the Buffs' season opener against Georgia Tech. That player is none other than Richard Young, a transfer from Alabama.

Young is coming off a season with the Crimson Tide in which he saw action in 15 games and scored five touchdowns but was largely buried on the depth chart. He rushed only 23 times for 64 yards and 2 touchdowns. However, ESPN ranked the four-star prospect as the No. 22 player in the nation and the No. 1 running back coming out of high school, so there is a feeling there is plenty of untapped potential.

His placement on the watchlist is likely due to his prospect pedigree and the award presenters viewing him as now in a position to finally live up to the hype.

The award is named after the 1948 Heisman Trophy winner and three-time All-American from SMU. The PwC SMU Athletic Forum will present the award and narrow the watchlist to 10 semifinalists in November. Three finalists will be announced in late November. The winner will be announced live during the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show on Dec. 11.

Other notable names on the preseason watchlist include West Virginia's Cam Cook, Ole Miss' Kewan Lacy, Georgia Tech's Justice Haynes, Texas Tech's Cameron Dickey, Miami's Mark Fletcher Jr., Missouri's Ahmad Hardy and several others.

Colorado's running game should improve in 2026, with Brennan Marion implementing his Go-Go offense, which relies more on the run game than previous CU offenses. Young might have the most potential within the new offense, but several players will receive chances to impress.

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This article originally appeared on Buffaloes Wire: Colorado transfer RB named to 2026 Doak Walker Award watch list

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