Ray Guy Award Watch List (2026)

The following post features the Ray Guy Award Watch List (2026).

Some college football teams have an NFL-level punter capable of flipping field position with a booming 60+-yard punt. These are the punters you need to know about when betting on college football.

Read: Best Times to Live Bet College Football

Related: Fred Biletnikoff Award Watch List

The Ray Guy Award Watch List features the top punters in the nation heading into the 2026 college football season.

So, who are the best punters in 2026? Here’s what you need to know.

Ray Guy Award Watch List (2026)

Below is a table displaying the placekickers on the 2026 Ray Guy Award Watch List. Click here for the official Ray Guy Award Watch List.

Preseason Player Spotlights

Evan Crenshaw – Troy Trojans

Evan Crenshaw enters 2026 as the clear frontrunner after a dominant 2025 campaign that earned him first-team All-American honors, Sun Belt Special Teams Player of the Year, and a Ray Guy Award finalist nod. Averaging nearly 46 yards per punt with a nation-leading number of placements inside the 20 and a high volume of 50-plus yard boots, Crenshaw consistently flipped field position and limited return opportunities, making him the standard for elite college punting.

Palmer Williams – Baylor Bears

Palmer Williams returns as a proven national contender after finishing as a 2025 Ray Guy Award finalist and earning Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Year honors. Known for his outstanding net average and ability to pin opponents deep with precision and hang time, Williams combines distance with directional control that makes him a consistent difference-maker in the Big 12 and a strong favorite to contend for the national award again.

Daniel Hughes – Florida State Seminoles

Daniel Hughes arrives at Florida State after a strong 2025 season at New Mexico that earned him Ray Guy Award semifinalist recognition. With a solid mid-45-yard average, strong hang time, and a high rate of punts inside the 20, the Australian import brings the technical skill and consistency needed to thrive in the ACC and challenge for national honors in his first year with the Seminoles.

Alec Clark – Florida Gators

Alec Clark transferred to Florida after posting one of the better gross averages in the country at Tulane in 2025 (over 46 yards per punt). With proven ability to generate distance while maintaining directional control, Clark has the physical tools and experience to immediately upgrade the Gators’ special teams and position himself among the top punters nationally in the SEC.

Jackson Ross – Tennessee Volunteers

Jackson Ross returns as a proven high-level performer after earning Ray Guy Award semifinalist honors in 2025. Known for his ability to generate strong net numbers and pin opponents deep in SEC play, Ross has the consistency and leg strength to remain a weekly difference-maker and climb the national rankings with another strong season in Knoxville.

Tyler White – Texas A&M Aggies

Tyler White continues to rank among the most reliable power-conference punters after previous strong showings that have kept him on the national radar. With a track record of solid averages, good placement inside the 20, and the ability to limit returns, White has the experience and skill set to push for Ray Guy Award recognition in the highly competitive SEC landscape.

Ray Guy Award

The Ray Guy Award is presented annually to the outstanding punter in NCAA Division I FBS football. The process begins with a preseason watch list that can expand during the season based on nominations and performance. The Ray Guy Award Committee then selects 10 semifinalists (typically announced in mid-November), evaluating candidates on overall statistics with particular emphasis on net punting average, percentage of punts inside the 20-yard line, and percentage of punts not returned. A national voting body of FBS sports information directors, media members, and former winners selects three finalists from the semifinalists, followed by a final ballot to determine the winner. A fan vote counts as one official ballot. The recipient is announced during the College Football Awards show in December.

Ray Guy Award Winner (by Year)

Click here for the Ray Guy Award Winner by year.