DALLAS --- Tusculum College's Jarrell NeSmith has been named one of the 16 national finalists for the William V. Campbell Trophy announced the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame (NFF) on Thursday. NeSmith becomes the first Tusculum student-athlete to earn this prestigious honor.

NeSmith, a senior tight end from Russellville, Ala., is the only NCAA Division II representative on the 2009 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Team, which includes Heisman Trophy candidates Tim Tebow (Florida) and Colt McCoy (Texas).

The 16 national finalists will be honored at the 2009 National Football Foundation Annual Awards Dinner, Dec. 8 at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City. The event will also include the induction of the 2009 College Football Hall of Fame.

Each finalist, including NeSmith, will receive an $18,000 post-graduate scholarship, and one of the 16 will be announced as the recipient of the 20th Anniversary William V. Campbell Trophy, endowed by HealthSouth (and formerly known as the Draddy Trophy), which recognizes an individual as the absolute best scholar-athlete in the nation. The award comes with a 25-pound bronze trophy and a $25,000 post-graduate scholarship. A total distribution of $300,000 in scholarships will be awarded that evening.

NeSmith is closing out one of the most decorated football careers in Tusculum history, both on and off the field. The Pre-Medicine major has a 3.86 cumulative grade point average and is a member of the Tusculum President's List, Dean's List, Charles Oliver Gray List, South Atlantic Conference Commissioner's Honor Roll and the TC Athletic Director's Honor Roll.

"We are all excited for Jarrell for this tremendous honor," said Tusculum head coach Frankie DeBusk. "He is the leader of our football team that every player respects and appreciates. He is an outstanding representative of Tusculum College, but also collegiate athletics in general. He leads by example and is the type of student-athlete that we hope all of our players will emulate. I'm very proud of him."

On the field, he earned All-America honors in 2008 from three organizations and was a consensus All-America pick this year. He posted 67 receptions for 635 yards and seven touchdowns last season and was also an All-Conference and All-Region selection.

NeSmith enters this Saturday's home finale fourth in school history in career receptions (144) and fifth in receiving yards (1,481). He has accounted for 10 touchdowns in his career, including an 88-yard reception earlier this season at Urbana University for the longest pass play in TC history. This season, he is tied for second in the SAC in receptions (42) and is fourth in receiving yards (489 - 61.1 ypg).

He has been named the SAC Scholar Athlete for Football the past two years (2007, 2008) and was selected as the 2008-09 recipient SAC Presidents Award, becoming only the second football player in the history of the award to earn the conference's most prestigious honor.

NeSmith was also honored by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), earning a spot on the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America® Football Team.

Earlier this fall, he was also a Southeast Region representative for the 2008-09 Division II Commissioner's Scholar Athlete Award and was a national semifinalist for the American Football Coaches Association's Good Works Team.

Joining NeSmith on the NFF National Scholar Athlete Team: Jon Asamoah (Illinois), Matt Bauman (Brigham Young), Eric Decker (Minnesota), Moses Harris (Fresno State), Tim Hiller (Western Michigan), Paul Jasinowski (Brown), Beau Kildow (Morningside), Josh Mahoney (Northern Iowa), Colt McCoy (Texas), Joe Pawelek (Baylor), Todd Reesing (Kansas), ZaVious Robbins (Hardin-Simmons), Tim Tebow (Florida), Blaine Westemeyer (Augustana) and Reed Williams (West Virginia).

The NFF's National Scholar-Athlete program, launched in 1959, is the first initiative in the history to award scholar-athletes post graduate scholarships for their combined athletic, academic and leadership abilities. This year's class members finds themselves in good company, as former National Scholar-Athletes include NFL standout Derrick Brooks (Florida State); actor Mark Harmon (UCLA); NASA astronaut Leland Melvin (Richmond); former Dateline NBC anchor Stone Phillips (Yale); chairman of Augusta National Golf Club Billy Payne (Georgia); famed NFL quarterback Steve Young (BYU); and Heisman Trophy winners Terry Baker (Oregon State), Gary Beban (UCLA), Doug Flutie (Boston College) and Danny Wuerffel (Florida).

Nominated by their schools, which are limited to one nominee each, candidates must be a senior or graduate student in their final year of eligibility, have a grade point average of at least 3.2 on a 4.0 scale, have outstanding football ability as a first team player and have demonstrated strong leadership and citizenship. Selected by the NFF Awards Committee, the 16 National Scholar-Athlete Award recipients will be honored at the 2009 NFF Annual Awards Dinner December 8 at the Waldorf=Astoria in New York City. The event will also include the induction of the 2009 College Football Hall of Fame and the presentation of several major awards.

"The 2009 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class boasts the highest average GPA in the history of our awards," said NFF Chairman Archie Manning, whose sons Peyton (Campbell winner) and Eli were NFF National Scholar-Athletes in 1997 and 2003, respectively. "They are truly the best of the best among all college sports and the epitome of our mission to build leaders through football."

Tusculum (2-6, 1-4 SAC) hosts Mars Hill College (6-2, 4-1 SAC) this Saturday for Homecoming, beginning at 2:30 p.m. at the Niswonger Sports Complex and Pioneer Field.

- TC -

2009 National Football Foundation National Scholar-Athlete Class
Scholar-Athlete Pos. School
Jon Asamoah OG University of Illinois
Matt Bauman LB Brigham Young University
Eric Decker WR University of Minnesota
Moses Harris S Fresno State University
Tim Hiller QB Western Michigan University
Paul Jasinowski DT Brown University
Beau Kildow WR Morningside College
Josh Mahoney LB University of Northern Iowa
Colt McCoy QB University of Texas
Jarrell NeSmith TE Tusculum College
Joe Pawelek LB Baylor University
Todd Ressing QB University of Kansas
ZaVious Robbins WR Hardin-Simmons University
Tim Tebow QB University of Florida
Blaine Westemeyer OT Augustana College
Reed Williams LB West Virginia University