Ole Miss TE Evan Engram wins Pop Warner CFB Award
Another day, another award for Ole Miss senior tight end Evan Engram.
On Thursday, Engram received the Pop Warner College Football Award, which goes to an individual who is honored for excellence on the field, in the classroom and in the community.
Per the official release:
Evan Engram, the all-time Ole Miss leader in receptions, receiving yards and touchdown catches by a tight end and two-time SEC Community Service Team member, has been named the winner of the 2016 Pop Warner Little Scholars College Football Award. The award was presented during the 60th Annual Pop Warner Super Bowl at Disney’s ESPN Wide World of Sports complex on Thursday.
The award, established in 2010, recognizes a senior who has made a difference on the field, in the classroom and in his community, all attributes Pop Warner emphasizes with its young scholar athletes. Last year’s winner was former Wake Forest University and current Detroit Lions linebacker Brandon Chubb.
The other 2016 finalists included University of Florida linebacker Jarrad Davis, Wake Forest University safety Ryan Janvion, Penn State linebacker Brandon Smith and Duke University defensive tackle AJ Wolf.
“It is truly an honor to represent an organization like Pop Warner that has such a rich tradition of positively influencing young people,” said Engram. “I would like to thank the organization for selecting me among the many outstanding candidates. I also thank my family for their loving support as well as my coaches and teammates for putting me in a position to be successful. I accept this award on their behalf.”
“Evan is an exceptional representative of our great sport, his university and his community, and we’re extremely proud to present him with the Pop Warner Little Scholars College Football Award,” said Jon Butler, Executive Director of Pop Warner Little Scholars. “As the only national youth sports organization that requires its athletes to perform in the classroom, we created the award to honor a college student-athlete who demonstrates commitment to academics, and whose actions on and off the field serve as a positive example for our young athletes. Evan represents those ideals.”
Engram, a native of Powder Springs, Georgia, is a two-time SEC Community Service Team member and a two-time AFCA Good Works Team nominee. He has volunteered with the Special Olympics, has participated in Reading with the Rebels and made several appearances at community centers and local schools, stressing to students the importance of good health and education. He’s been a camp counselor, has helped needy families at Thanksgiving and Christmas, and visited patients at children’s hospitals in Jackson, Mississippi, and New Orleans. He is an integrated marketing communications major with intentions on pursuing a career in broadcast journalism or marketing when his playing career is over. He is also the nation’s leader among tight ends with 5.9 catches per game and 84.2 receiving yards per game.
Engram, who has been named first team All-SEC by the Southeastern Conference coaches and first team All-America by Sporting News, is the nation’s active leader among tight ends with 2,320 career receiving yards. In 2016, he racked up 65 catches for 926 yards and eight TDs.
Engram has already been recognized for the Ozzie Newsome Award and the C Spire Conerly Trophy, was selected as a member of the SEC Community Service Team and has an invitation to the upcoming Senior Bowl.
Pop Warner created this specific award in 2010 to honor a college player who has continued to demonstrate Pop Warner’s fundamental values of sportsmanship, academics and community service at the next level.
Engram becomes the first SEC representative to take home the award. Previous recipients have included Prince Amukamara (Nebraska), Chase Minnifield (Virginia), Sean Renfree (Duke), Gary Bush (Purdue), Jordan Richards (Stanford) and Brandon Chubb (Wake Forest).