AUBURN, Ala. – Auburn senior tight end Luke Deal has been named a semifinalist for the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year, the award’s selection committee announced Tuesday.
One of 20 semifinalists and one of six from the SEC, Deal remains in contention for the eighth annual Witten Award, which honors exemplary leadership by college football players.
A two-time captain for the Tigers, Deal is also the team’s leader in the community, where he regularly volunteers with Project 412, an organization that provides home repairs to those in need, as well at events like school supply distributions, food giveaways and holiday toy drives.
Deal’s father passed away from ALS in 2022, one year after being diagnosed, and Luke helps other families going through similar circumstances. He has already earned undergraduate and master’s degrees from Auburn.
An exceptional blocker, Deal has made two receptions this season, including a spectacular touchdown catch against Oklahoma.
The 2024 Witten Award semifinalists include: Justin Barron (Syracuse), Dylan Black (Oregon State), Brady Cook (Missouri), Dontay Corleone (Cincinnati), Ajani Cornelius (Oregon), Luke Deal (Auburn), Jacob Gardner (Colorado State), Ahmed Hassanein (Boise State), Seth Henigan (Memphis), Isaiah Jacobs (UAB), Jake Majors (Texas), Bru McCoy (Tennessee), Devin Neal (Kansas), Kaimon Rucker (North Carolina), Cody Simon (Ohio State), Logan Taylor (Hawai’i), Dante Trader, Jr. (Maryland), Jalon Walker (Georgia), J.J. Weaver (Kentucky) and Jackson Woodard (UNLV).
Three finalists will be named for the award on Monday, Dec. 16. The winner will be announced at the award ceremony at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Feb. 12, 2025.
The award, presented by Albertsons and Tom Thumb, is the first college football honor to focus primarily on a player’s leadership, both on and off the field. Leadership is a term synonymous with Jason Witten, who, in addition to becoming one of the best tight ends in the history of the sport, served as one of football’s most prominent role models during his 16-year pro career.
In addition to winning the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award in 2012, Witten also received the Bart Starr Award, Pro Football Weekly’s Humanitarian of the Year Award, Home Depot NFL Neighborhood MVP and the Bob Lilly Award, among many others.
“I’m honored to announce the semifinalists for the Collegiate Man of the Year,” said Witten. “These twenty young men perfect examples of what makes college football so great. They have all demonstrated exceptional leadership and character, often while overcoming large challenges. They are great representatives for their schools and the game of football, and I commend all nominees for getting to this point.”
The winner of the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year will also receive a $10,000 contribution in his name to his school’s athletic scholarship fund. The contribution will be made by Jason Witten’s SCORE Foundation, the official charity of Jason and his wife Michelle.
Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on X: @jeff_shearer