The Daily Nole

Anquan Boldin, Dalvin Cook Among Saturday Night Award Winners

wlpearce.com/FSU athletics

Saturday night was an eventful evening for not only Florida State, but the football world in general. Just days after a huge close on National Signing Day, and the night before the biggest football game of the year, multiple Seminoles (both former and present) made headlines.

Here’s the notable players/awards from Saturday night and what they accomplished:

Dalvin Cook Wins Jim Brown Award

The Touchdown Club of Columbus presented Dalvin Cook with the annual Jim Brown Award — given to the nation’s best running back. It is a worthy prize for Cook, who many thought had a good argument for the Heisman Trophy this past season. Some notable historical winners of the award include Adrian Peterson, Reggie Bush, and Eddie George. Cook totaled 1,935 yards and 20 touchdowns on 7.4 yards per carry in 2015.

Anquan Boldin Named the Walter Payton Man of the Year

The Walter Payton Man of the Year award recognizes an NFL player’s volunteer/charity work. This year’s recipient is former FSU wide receiver and current San Francisco 49er Anquan Boldin. Boldin started the Q81 Foundation in 2004, which is “…dedicated to expanding the educational and life opportunities of underprivileged youth.” Some of the foundation’s activities include enrichment programs, community events, Thanksgiving dinner drives, and awarding scholarships.

Winston Finishes Second Place in Offensive Rookie of the Year

Former FSU quarterback and current Tampa Bay Buccaneer Jameis Winston secured 17 of 50 votes, but it was not enough to overcome St. Louis Rams’ running back Todd Gurley and his 27 votes for Offensive Rookie of the Year. Despite the finish, Winston had one of the best rookie seasons for a quarterback in the past decade, and led a 2-14 team to a 6-10 record in his first year as an NFL starting quarterback.

Darby Comes in Second for Defensive Rookie in the Year

Another former Seminole came in second place yesterday, as current Buffalo Bills cornerback Ronald Darby finished behind Kansas City Chiefs’ cornerback Marcus Peters. Darby had a surprisingly effective season, coming in at No. 5 on Pro Football Focus’ rankings for top cornerbacks of the year.

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