Tulsa’s Akayleb Evans and Chris Paul on the Wuerffel Trophy Watch List
7/23/2020 12:00:00 PM | Football
FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. –– Two University of Tulsa football student-athletes Akayleb Evans and Chris Paul, both juniors, have been named to the Wuerffel Trophy Watch List, it was announced today by the Fort Walton Beach All Sports Association. The watch list consists of 114 players from college football's Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS).
The Wuerffel Trophy, known as "College Football's Premier Award for Community Service," is presented each February in Fort Walton Beach. Named after 1996 Heisman Trophy winning quarterback from the University of Florida, Danny Wuerffel, the Wuerffel Trophy exists to honor college football players who serve others, celebrate their positive impact on society, and inspire greater service in the world.
Evans, a 6'2" junior cornerback, began the Akayleb Evans Foundation in his hometown of McKinney, Texas, in 2017. The Foundation started the #TouchdownwithToys event every Christmas and this past May provided gift cards to staff members at the McKinney Urgent Care in showing appreciation for their fight against COVID-19.
He has participated in volunteer activities with the Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma, the community school welcome back for elementary children, the Martin Luther King Day parade, and the Greenwood Leadership Academy.
At the 2019 American Athletic Conference Academic Consortium, he made a presentation on the topic "More than an Athlete".
Evans missed all but two games last year with an injury, but has started 14 of 21 career games at cornerback. He comes into the 2020 season with 53 career stops and eight pass break-ups.
A 6'5" offensive lineman from Houston, Texas, Paul was recently named as the American Athletic Conference's representative to the NCAA Division I Student-Athlete Advisory Committee for 2020-21. He will serve as chair of the conference's SAAC executive board for the 2020-21 and 2021-22 academic years.
Paul was named to Tulsa's Ultimate Team in 2019-20, an award that recognizes the school's top student-athletes based on academic success, athletic achievement, campus involvement, character and community outreach. A top-10 freshman in 2018-19, Paul has volunteered at the Children's Hospital at Saint Francis, Read Across America, Lift Up America and at the Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma.
On campus, Paul is a member of the University Ambassadors, Student Association, Future Alumni Council and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
Paul has started 20 of 24 career games, including all 12 games last year at left guard and eight contests as a red-shirt freshman in 2018 at right guard. He is expected to make the move to right tackle for the 2020 season.
Both student-athletes have served in roles on the Black Men's Initiative (BMI) on campus, Paul was president for the 2019-20 academic year, while Evans is serving as co-vice president for the upcoming 2020-21 season.
Paul has started 20 of 24 career games, including all 12 games last year at left guard and eight contests as a red-shirt freshman in 2018 at right guard. He is expected to make the move to right tackle for the 2020 season.
Last January, they were among a group of Tulsa football student-athletes presenting at the Black Student Athlete Summit in Austin, Texas, on how the Black Men's Initiative (BMI) is addressing mental health issues at TU.
This is the 16th year of the Wuerffel Trophy. Tulsa star quarterback Paul Smith was the third recipient of the award in 2007.
Tulsa opens the 2020 football season on Saturday, September 5, with a home game against the Toledo Rockets.
Players Mentioned
Cornerback
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Offensive Line
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