Jordan Fuller, a senior safety, was named a finalist for the 2019 William V. Campbell Trophy.
The award recognizes the nation’s absolute best football scholar-athlete based on combined academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership and from all divisions and the NAIA.
Fuller and the 11 other finalists will receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship as a member of the 2019 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class and will travel to New York City for the 62nd NFF Annual Awards Dinner on Dec. 10.
One member of the class will be selected the winner of the 30th William V. Campbell Trophy and have his postgraduate scholarship increased to $25,000. The event will take place at the New York Hilton Midtown.
Head coach Ryan Day addressed the accomplishment of Fuller.
“The entire Ohio State football program is extremely proud of Jordan and for his family,” Day stated. “He is a young man who has distinguished himself athletically, academically and leadership-wise, and I congratulate him and the 11 other outstanding student-athletes who are finalists for this most prestigious award.”
The Old Tappan, N.J., native is Ohio State’s 22nd NFF National Scholar-Athlete and vying to become Ohio State’s third winner of the William V. Campbell Trophy, after Bobby Hoying (1995) and Craig Krenzel (2003). Only Nebraska, with 23 NFF Scholar-Athlete award winners, has more than Ohio State.
Most NFF National Scholar-Athletes By School:
23 – Nebraska
22 – Ohio State
18 – Notre Dame
18 – Penn State
16 – Army
14 – Georgia
13 – USC
13 – Stanford
12 – Yale
11 – Texas
Criteria for the award is rigorous, including a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.20, outstanding football ability, superior academic application and performance and exemplary school leadership and community citizenship.
Fuller carries an overall 3.601 grade point average in business marketing and is expected to graduate a semester ahead of schedule in December. with an expected graduation date of this December.
Fuller is only the 14th two-time team captain in school history and leads the Buckeyes in tackles with 41 after leading the team in tackles in 2018 and finishing second in 2017.
The three-year starter has excelled in the classroom, earning first-team Academic All-American in 2018, second team Academic All-American in 2017, Big Ten Conference Distinguished Scholar in 2018, two Academic All-Big Ten Conference honors and three OSU Scholar-Athlete awards.
Helping in the community, Fuller is on the executive board for a campus organization called Redefining Athletic Standards, or RAS. Among the handful of events he has helped organize and run as part of RAS include a Back-to-School Bash for local community children and a seminar titled The Buckeye Way: Sexuality, Identity and Relationships.
Below are the other finalists for the Campbell Trophy, whom make up the 2019 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class, as well as the Buckeyes who have earned the honor in the past.
The 2019 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class:
Spencer Blackburn – C, Eastern Washington (3.69 GPA majoring in economics & accounting)
Rodrigo Blankenship – PK, Georgia (3.71 GPA majoring in digital broadcast journalism)
Jordan Fuller – SAF, Ohio State (3.60 GPA majoring in business marketing)
Alex Goettl – LB, Minnesota State Mankato (3.93 GPA majoring in biomedical systems)
Justin Herbert – QB, Oregon (4.01 GPA majoring in biology)
Adam Holtorf – C, Kansas State (3.92 GPA majoring in agribusiness)
Michael Lohmeier – DE, Carnegie Mellon (PA) (4.00 GPA majoring in business administration)
Jordan Mack – LB, Virginia (3.47 GPA majoring in education)
Dante Olson – LB, Montana (3.90 GPA majoring in business administration/management)
Jelani Taylor – S, Cornell (3.96 GPA majoring in hotel administration)
Casey Toohill – LB, Stanford (3.71 GPA majoring in political science)
Jon Wassink – QB, Western Michigan (3.96 GPA majoring in accounting)
Ohio State’s 22 NFF National Scholar-Athletes:
2019 – Jordan Fuller
2015 – Jacoby Boren
2008 – Brian Robiskie
2003 – Craig Krenzel
1999 – Ahmed Plummer
1996 – Greg Bellisari
1995 – Bobby Hoying
1994 – Joey Galloway
1992 – Greg Smith
1990 – Greg Frey
1989 – Joe Staysniak
1985 – Mike Lanese
1984 – Dave Crecelius
1983 – John Frank
1982 – Joe Smith
1979 – Jim Laughlin
1975 – Brian Baschnagel
1973 – Randy Gradishar
1970 – Rex Kern
1968 – David Foley
1965 – Willard Sander
1964 – Arnold Chonko
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