Click here for photos and here for the video of Eli Stowers accepting the Campbell Trophy^®, which will be added shortly after the presentation.
 
LAS VEGAS (Dec. 9, 2025) – Vanderbilt University tight end Eli Stowers has been named the 36th recipient of the prestigious William V. Campbell Trophy^® at tonight's 67th National Football Foundation Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas.
 
The Campbell Trophy^® ranks as one of college football's most sought-after and competitive awards, recognizing an individual as the absolute best in the country for his combined academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership. Awarded since 1990, the 24-inch, 25-pound bronze trophy comes with a $25,000 postgraduate scholarship.
 
"Eli Stowers has distinguished himself as one of the nation's top tight ends, and his commitment to excellence extends well beyond the field," said NFF Chairman Archie Manning, whose sons, Peyton (Campbell Trophy^® recipient) and Eli, were NFF National Scholar-Athletes in 1997 and 2003, respectively. "He has performed at the highest levels in the classroom while serving as a tremendous ambassador for our sport. Eli embodies everything the Campbell Trophy^® stands for, and everything that is right about college football. We are proud to welcome him into this elite fraternity of recipients."
 
Stowers was selected from the impressive list of 16 members of the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class Presented by Fidelity Investments®, who comprised the list of finalists for the Campbell Trophy^®. Each member of the class (listed below) claimed an $18,000 scholarship for their postgraduate education.
 
"Eli Stowers and the 2025 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class prove once again that you truly can excel in every facet of the college experience," said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. "Their academic achievements, competitive success, and leadership in their communities illustrate the unmatched educational opportunities football provides. They have embraced every challenge, set an extraordinary standard for others to follow, and represent the very best of our game."
 
Stowers graduated from New Mexico State in May 2024 as a Crimson Scholar (3.92 GPA) before earning his master's degree in finance from Vanderbilt in May 2025. He is continuing postgraduate studies in legal studies at Vanderbilt and has been named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll and Dean's List three times.
 
On the field this season, Stowers leads all tight ends in the country in receiving yards and number of catches resulting in a first down, and he is also second in total receptions. His 2025 stats include 62 receptions for 769 yards and four touchdowns, including recording 100-yard games at No. 13 Texas and in a win against Auburn the following week. He finished with multiple catches in every game this fall, and he enters the postseason needing just six yards to post the most by a Dore tight end since 1996.
 
His efforts have helped the Commodores post the first-ever 10-win season in program history while also setting a school record with six SEC victories. Vanderbilt enters the postseason in the top 15 in the College Football Playoff rankings and the Associated Press and AFCA coaches' polls. Stowers will now lead the Dores against Iowa in the ReliaQuest Bowl on December 31, 2025, in Tampa, Florida.
 
Stowers is also a finalist for the John Mackey Award and a semifinalist for both the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Award and the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award. He was also a semifinalist for the 2025 Lombardi Award this fall.
 
A 2025 team captain and three-year letterman with stops at Texas A&M and New Mexico State, Stowers earned First Team All-SEC and Phil Steele Third Team All-America honors in 2024. Last season, he recorded 49 receptions for 638 yards and five touchdowns, ranking among the most productive seasons by a Vanderbilt tight end in nearly three decades. During the 2023 season at New Mexico State, he recorded 35 catches for 366 yards and two touchdowns. Also, playing quarterback during his career, he completed five passes for 116 yards and two touchdowns.
 
Last season, he led the Commodores to their first winning season (7-6) and first bowl victory since 2013 with a Birmingham Bowl win. His play fueled Vanderbilt's first-ever win over a No. 1 team (Alabama) and first victory over Alabama since 1984. The Dores also notched their first road win at Auburn and first wins over both Alabama and Auburn in the same season since 1955. At New Mexico State, he guided the Aggies to a 10-3 regular season and a berth in the CUSA Championship Game.
 
Stowers has played an active role in Brother B's, an on-campus ministry; volunteered at Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital; participated in Social Impact Day with the Pencil Foundation and Metro Nashville Public Schools; visited veterans' hospitals; and supported causes like the Dancing Dores fundraiser and the SAAC Holiday Party.
 
The Denton, Texas, native becomes the first Campbell Trophy^® winner from Vanderbilt. He is the school's fifth NFF National Scholar-Athlete, joining Wade Butcher (1961), Douglas Martin (1974), Andrew McCarroll (1989), Hunter Hillenmeyer (2002). He also becomes the 13th winner of the Campbell Trophy^® from a team currently in the SEC.
 
Following tonight's NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas, Stowers will be recognized as the 2025 Campbell Trophy^® recipient at several other prestigious events. On Friday, Dec. 12, he will be recognized during The Home Depot College Football Awards on ESPN. He will be featured on CBS during halftime of the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl on Dec. 31, and he will be introduced on the field during the College Football Playoff National Championship on Jan. 19 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.
 
Launched in 1959 and celebrating its 67th year in 2025, the NFF National Scholar-Athlete program became the first initiative in history to award postgraduate scholarships based on a player's combined academic, athletic and leadership accomplishments, and the program has awarded $13.2 million to 954 top athletes since its inception. Candidates must be either a senior player who will complete his final year of eligibility this season OR a graduated player or grad transfer who has already earned a bachelor's degree and participated in the 2025 season; have a grade point average of at least 3.2 on a 4.0 scale; have outstanding football ability as a first team player or significant contributor; and have demonstrated strong leadership and citizenship.

The centerpiece to the NFF's scholar-athlete program, the William V. Campbell Trophy^® was first awarded in 1990. It is named in honor of the late Bill Campbell, the former chairman of Intuit, former player and head coach at Columbia University and the 2004 recipient of the NFF's Gold Medal.
 
An All-Ivy League player and the captain of Columbia's 1961 Ivy League championship team, Bill Campbell found his true calling after an unlikely career change at age 39 from Columbia football coach to advertising executive. Known as the "Coach of Silicon Valley," his ability to recruit, develop and manage talented executives – all lessons learned on the gridiron – proved to be a critical component of his ability to inspire his business teams to the highest levels of success.
 
Bill Campbell joined the NFF Board in 1978 while he was still a coach at Columbia, and he continued to serve with distinction until his passing in 2016. In 2004, the NFF recognized his contributions and accomplishments by presenting him with the NFF Gold Medal, the organization's highest honor. In 2009, the NFF renamed college football's premier scholar-athlete award as the William V. Campbell Trophy^® in his honor.
   

• Chris Howard (Air Force, 1990 - University Executive)
• Brad Culpepper (Florida, 1991 - Attorney)
• Jim Hansen (Colorado, 1992 - Climatologist)
• Thomas Burns (Virginia, 1993 - Engineering Executive)
• Robert Zatechka (Nebraska, 1994 - Physician)
• Bobby Hoying (Ohio State, 1995 - Real Estate Executive)
• Danny Wuerffel (Florida, 1996 - Non-Profit Executive Director)
• Peyton Manning (Tennessee, 1997 - TV Personality & Philanthropist)
• Matt Stinchcomb (Georgia, 1998 - Insurance Executive & TV Broadcaster)
• Chad Pennington (Marshall, 1999 - High School Football Coach)
• Kyle Vanden Bosch (Nebraska, 2000 - Youth Football Coach & Broadcaster)
• Joaquin Gonzalez (Miami [FL], 2001 - Corporate Executive)
• Brandon Roberts (Washington University in St. Louis [MO], 2002 - Physician)
• Craig Krenzel (Ohio State, 2003 - Insurance Executive)
• Michael Muñoz (Tennessee, 2004 - Sports & Entertainment Executive)
• Rudy Niswanger (LSU, 2005 - Corporate Executive)
• Brian Leonard (Rutgers, 2006 - Real Estate Executive)
• Dallas Griffin (Texas, 2007 - Corporate Executive)
• Alex Mack (California, 2008 - Retired NFL Player)
• Tim Tebow (Florida, 2009 - Non-Profit Chairman & TV Broadcaster)
• Sam Acho (Texas, 2010 - Humanitarian & TV Broadcaster)
• Andrew Rodriguez (Army West Point, 2011 - U.S. Army Captain & Instructor)
• Barrett Jones (Alabama, 2012 - Financial Advisor and TV Broadcaster)
• John Urschel (Penn State, 2013 - Professor)
• David Helton (Duke, 2014 – Healthcare Executive)
• Ty Darlington (Oklahoma, 2015 - College Football Assistant Coach)
• Zach Terrell (Western Michigan, 2016 – General Manager)
• Micah Kiser (Virginia, 2017 – Former NFL Player and MBA Candidate)
• Christian Wilkins (Clemson, 2018 - NFL Player)
• Justin Herbert (Oregon, 2019 - NFL Player)
• Brady White (Memphis, 2020 – Arizona State Assistant Coach)
• Charlie Kolar (Iowa State, 2021 - NFL Player)
• Jack Campbell (Iowa, 2022 – NFL Player)
• Bo Nix (Oregon, 2023 – NFL Player)
• Jalen Milroe (Alabama, 2024 – NFL Player)

   

• Robby Ballentine, WR – DePauw (IN) // Biochemistry (3.92 GPA)
• Jonah Coleman, RB – Washington // Education (3.91 GPA)
• James Conway, LB – Fordham // Marketing Information Systems (3.71 GPA)
• Jalon Daniels, QB – Kansas // Sport Management (3.58 GPA)
• Ty Dugger, DB – Harding (AR) // Accounting (3.92 GPA)
• Aaron Graves, DL – Iowa // Exercise Science (4.03 GPA)
• Blake Horvath, QB – Navy // Operations Research (3.69 GPA)
• Chandler Kirton, OL – Austin Peay // Management (3.92 GPA)
• Trey Moore, LB – Texas // Physical Culture & Sports (3.65 GPA)
• Red Murdock, LB – Buffalo // Psychology (3.46 GPA)
• Parker Navarro, QB – Ohio // Integrated Health Studies (3.96 GPA)
• Sawyer Robertson, QB – Baylor // Marketing (3.73 GPA)
• Eli Stowers, TE – Vanderbilt // Individual Studies (3.92 GPA)
• Jack Strand, QB – Minnesota State Moorhead // Engineering Physics (3.87 GPA)
• Andon Thomas, LB – Army West Point // Chemical Engineering (3.98 GPA) 
• Jackson Waring, QB – Grand View (IA) // Psychology (3.88 GPA) 

 
About The National College Football Awards Association
The William V. Campbell Trophy^® is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which encompasses college football's most prestigious awards. The NCFAA's 25 awards have honored more than 950 recipients since 1935. For more information about the NCFAA and its award programs, visit NCFAA.org or follow on X at @NCFAA.
 
ABOUT THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL FOUNDATION & COLLEGE HALL OF FAME
Founded in 1947 with early leadership from General Douglas MacArthur, legendary Army coach Earl "Red" Blaik, and journalist Grantland Rice, the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame (NFF) is a nonprofit organization that leverages the power of amateur football to build leaders. With 120 chapters in 47 states, the NFF oversees initiatives such as the NFF College Football Hall of Fame, the William V. Campbell Trophy®, the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards Presented by Fidelity Investments, Future For Football, and I Played. Learn more at footballfoundation.org and follow @NFFNetwork on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.