The National College Football Awards Association has just awarded the highest individual honor for college running backs, the 2025 Doak Walker Award, to Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love, who is also a candidate for the Heisman. By winning the award, he joins a long list of the best college running backs, many of whom have had a massive impact in the NFL after leaving college.
The first award was given in 1990, and it was named after SMU Mustangs legend Doak Walker, who would later also become a legend for the Detroit Lions. Winners are usually selected by the National Selection Committee, which includes various sports writers and sports analysts all over the U.S., as well as former NFL players.
The winners are a who’s who of running backs, which means that Jeremiyah Love can be compared among the greats of his position. These include Heisman winner Derrick Henry, as well as two-time winner Jonathan Taylor, two-time winner Ricky Williams and Super Bowl champion Reggie Bush. Winners would receive a bronze sculpture of Doak Walker as their trophy.
Doak Walker Award Winners by Year (Descending Order)
| Year | Player | School |
| 2025 | Jeremiyah Love | Notre Dame |
| 2024 | Ashton Jeanty | Boise State |
| 2023 | Ollie Gordon | Oklahoma State |
| 2022 | Bijan Robinson | Texas |
| 2021 | Kenneth Walker III | Michigan State |
| 2020 | Najee Harris | Alabama |
| 2019 | Jonathan Taylor | Wisconsin |
| 2018 | Jonathan Taylor | Wisconsin |
| 2017 | Bryce Love | Stanford |
| 2016 | D’Onta Foreman | Texas |
| 2015 | Derrick Henry | Alabama |
| 2014 | Melvin Gordon | Wisconsin |
| 2013 | Andre Williams | Boston College |
| 2012 | Montee Ball | Wisconsin |
| 2011 | Trent Richardson | Alabama |
| 2010 | LaMichael James | Oregon |
| 2009 | Toby Gerhart | Stanford |
| 2008 | Shonn Greene | Iowa |
| 2007 | Darren McFadden | Arkansas |
| 2006 | Darren McFadden | Arkansas |
| 2005 | Reggie Bush | USC |
| 2004 | Cedric Benson | Texas |
| 2003 | Chris Perry | Michigan |
| 2002 | Larry Johnson | Penn State |
| 2001 | Luke Staley | Brigham Young |
| 2000 | LaDainian Tomlinson | TCU |
| 1999 | Ron Dayne | Wisconsin |
| 1998 | Ricky Williams | Texas |
| 1997 | Ricky Williams | Texas |
| 1996 | Byron Hanspard | Texas Tech |
| 1995 | Eddie George | Ohio State |
| 1994 | Rashaan Salaam | Colorado |
| 1993 | Bam Morris | Texas Tech |
| 1992 | Garrison Hearst | Georgia |
| 1991 | Trevor Cobb | Rice |
| 1990 | Greg Lewis | Washington |
Wisconsin and Texas have so far produced the most Doak Walker Award winners, as the two schools have each produced five winning running backs. Only three have won the award twice, and they are Ricky Williams, Darren McFadden and Jonathan Taylor.
As Jeremiyah Love is still a junior, it is possible that he could win the award back-to-back as well, should he decide not to go to the NFL.
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