THIBODAUX, La. - Nicholls State University football linebacker Kaiden Jones was one of 25 FCS players named on Thursday to the watch list of the 2022 Stats Perform Jerry Rice Award, which is presented to the national freshman of the year in college football's Division I subdivision.

Jones has started at linebacker for the Colonels and is third on the team with 37 tackles, averaging 6.2 per game. He had a season-high nine tackles at ULM and posted seven-tackle outings against Jacksonville State and Northwestern State. In the Southland opener against the Demons, Jones recorded 1.5 tackles for loss and has 2.5 on the season.

The Rice Award, now in its 12th season, is named after legendary Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice. Past recipients include Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp (Eastern Washington), Miami Dolphins running back Chase Edmonds (Fordham) and San Francisco 49ers quarterback Trey Lance (North Dakota State).

Nicholls has had three Top 10 finalists for the Jerry Rice Award under eighth-year head coach Tim Rebowe. Collin Guggenheim finished ninth in the voting last season while former quarterback Chase Fourcade and defensive lineman Sully Laiche placed sixth and eighth, respectively, in the 2016 season.

To be eligible for the Jerry Rice Award, a freshman must be in his first or second academic year and can't have surpassed four games played in the previous academic year – similar to the NCAA's regular redshirt rule. More players can join the watch list before a national media panel selects the winner following the regular season.

JERRY RICE AWARD WATCH LIST
Quarterback
Ashur Carraha, Stonehill (Northeast)
Cade Chambers, Indiana State (MVFC)
Gevani McCoy, Idaho (Big Sky)
Reese Poffenbarger, UAlbany (CAA)
Noah Walters, North Alabama (ASUN)

Running Back
Ryan Butler, Princeton (Ivy)
Karl Ligon, Southern (SWAC)
Joshua Pitsenberger, Yale (Ivy)
Sam Franklin, UT Martin (Ohio Valley)
Desmond Reid, Western Carolina (Southern)
Jerrell Wimbley, Stephen F. Austin (WAC)

Wide Receiver
Seth Anderson, Charleston Southern (Big South)
Vinson Davis, Charleston Southern (Big South)
Makai Jackson, Saint Francis (Northeast)
Kam Thomas, Austin Peay (ASUN)

Tight End
Josh Cuevas, Cal Poly (Big Sky)

Defensive Line
Kevin Spelman, Valparaiso (Pioneer)

Linebacker
Kohner Cullimore, Southern Utah (WAC)
Kaiden Jones, Nicholls (Southland)
Max U'Ren, North Carolina Central (MEAC)
Mason Woods, Towson (CAA)

Defensive Back
Wedner Cadet, Georgetown (Patriot)
Rex Connors, UC Davis (Big Sky)
Adrian Maddox, Alabama State (SWAC)

Punter
Patrick Rohrbach, Montana (Big Sky)