McConkey Named A 2023 NFF National Scholar-Athlete, Campbell Trophy Finalist

ATHENS, Ga. --- Georgia junior receiver Ladd McConkey is one of 16 recipients who has been named to the 2023 National Football Foundation (NFF) National Scholar-Athlete Award class and a William V. Campbell Trophy finalist for his combined academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership, according to an announcement from the NFF and the College Hall of Fame on Wednesday.

With McConkey's selection, Georgia has now had a Southeastern Conference leading 15 NFF postgraduate scholars and has the league's only recipient this year.  In fact, the Bulldogs are tied for sixth nationally in the category with their first receiver in history being honored.

Each of the players honored win an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship and will be recognized at the 65^th NFF Annual Awards Dinner in Las Vegas at the ARIA Resort & Casino on Dec. 5.  The honorees comprise the list of finalists for the Campbell Trophy, which recognizes an individual as the best scholar-athlete in the nation.  One member of the class will be declared as the winner of the 34^th Campbell Trophy and have his postgraduate scholarship increased to $25,000.

McConkey is also the only receiver on a squad that has nine offensive players.  The Chatsworth, Ga., native is the first Bulldog to garner the honor since place-kicker Rodrigo Blankenship received the 2019 NFF award. Like Blankenship, McConkey was named to the Allstate American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Good Works Team earlier this season.

This marks only the third time in school history that Georgia has had an NFF Scholar Athlete as well as an Allstate AFCA Good Works Team member in the same year.  In addition to Blankenship garnering both honors, punter Drew Butler was included as a Scholar Athlete while tight end Aron White was on the Good Works Team in 2011.

The Bulldogs have now had 15 players in school history to earn this NFF honor.  While this is the second in the Kirby Smart era, there have now been six in the 2000s: McConkey, Blankenship, Murray, Butler, quarterback David Greene (2004) and offensive tackle Jon Stinchcomb (2002).

Bobby Etter in 1966 was the first Georgia winner.  Tommy Lawhorne (1967), Billy Payne (1968), Tim Callaway (1969), Tommy Lyons (1970), Tom Nash (1971), Jeff Lewis (1977), Terry Hoage (1983) and Matt Stinchcomb (1998) are also Bulldogs who have been honored.

Redshirting as a scout team member during the pandemic shortened 2020 season, McConkey has distinguished himself as exceptional both on and off the playing field.

McConkey, a 6-0, 185-pound graduate of North Murray High School, was a pivotal part of Georgia's run to consecutive national championships in 2021 and 2022 and a 29-1 mark over that stretch.  Last season, he finished with 58 receptions for 762 yards and a team-high seven touchdowns.  McConkey added seven carries for 135 yards and two touchdowns while returning 16 punts for 197 yards.  He helped finish the Bulldogs' record-breaking 15-0 campaign by snagging five catches for 88 yards and two scores in the College Football Playoff title game during a 65-7 rout of No. 3 TCU.

McConkey made the best out of his redshirt freshman season in 2021 to help lead Georgia to its first national championship in 41 years.  He had 31 catches for 447 yards and five touchdowns, carried the ball four times for 44 yards and a score and returned five punts for 82 yards.

This season, McConkey has been limited with a back injury but has nine catches for 107 yards (11.9 average) in just three games played during the Bulldogs' 7-0 start.  Four of his receptions accounted for substantial third down conversions and another was a season-long 31 yarder at Vanderbilt that led to Georgia's second touchdown.

In the classroom, McConkey has been just as impressive.  The SEC Academic Honor Roll member graduated magna cum laude in just three years thanks to a 3.85 GPA in Finance.  He was voted to the 2022 College Sports Communicators (CSC) All-District Team and is part of the UGA Athletic Association's Leadership Academy (LEAD).  McConkey is currently enrolled in the Entrepreneurship Certificate program.

Georgia's 23^rd Allstate AFCA Good Works Team member since 1992 has been just as stellar in the community.  Here are a number of examples of McConkey's dedication to volunteering:
Camp Rainbow visitation – Among Bulldog players to visit Camp Rainbow in Lincoln County, Ga., for children with cancer or a rare blood disorder who have been diagnosed and treated at the Children's Hospital of Georgia. Campers bring one sibling and participate in activities such as fishing, canoeing, kayaking, disc golf, basketball, arts and crafts, etc.
Read Across America – Since arriving in Athens in 2020, has consistently visited local school children at various schools in Athens/Clarke County and surrounding areas including Barrow Elementary, High Shoals Elementary and Howard B. Stroud Elementary.
Extra Special People "Bulldogs and Buddies" Practice visitation – Following football practices, visited with members of Extra Special People, an organization assisting individuals with developmental disabilities and their families.
Community Connection Drive – Aided in the drive held in conjunction with Hunger and Homelessness Awareness week to collect donations for Family Promise, which seeks to help families in crisis situations of homelessness achieve sustainable independence, and the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia, which targets the root causes of hunger and malnutrition by providing healthy food, nutrition education, and innovative distribution methods.

The NFF's National Scholar-Athlete program presented by Fidelity Investments launched in 1959 and is the first initiative in history to award scholar-athletes postgraduate scholarships for their combined athletic, academic and leadership abilities.  While Georgia has had 15 finalists, Matt Stinchcomb (1998) is the only Bulldog to win the Campbell Trophy.

McConkey and the top-ranked Bulldogs (7-0, 4-0 SEC) travel to Jacksonville, Fla., to take on Florida (5-2, 3-1) at EverBank Field on Saturday.  CBS will televise the annual matchup at 3:30 p.m.

University of Georgia Athletics

McConkey Named A 2023 NFF National Scholar-Athlete, Campbell Trophy Finalist

Players Mentioned

Ladd McConkey

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