GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Furman safety Braylon Peebles has been named to the Jerry Rice Award Watch List, it has been announced.

The Jerry Rice Award, presented by Stats Perform to the top freshman in the FCS, is named after the legendary Hall of Fame wide receiver who starred in the FCS at Mississippi Valley State University.

Peebles, a 5-foot-10, 184-pound true freshman from Raleigh, N.C., and product of Cardinal Gibbons High School, is among 30 players named to the Watch List in the NCAA Division subdivision.

Peebles earned a starting job coming out of the preseason and through Furman's first seven games has totaled a team leading 42 tackles, an interception, and three pass breakups.  He tallied a season high 10 tackles against South Carolina State and posted nine stops versus 18th-ranked Tennessee.  Peebles had a 14-yard interception return against Richmond.

Official Release: 30 FCS Freshman Standouts Named to the 2026 Jerry Rice Award Watch List | Opta Analyst

2026 Jerry Rice Award Watch List
Bryce Allen, Richmond, WR, Fr., 6-3, 206 (Patriot League)
Nate Bailey, Harvard, WR, Fr., 5-8, 175 (Ivy League)
Rashon Brown, Bethune-Cookman, RB, R-Fr., 5-10, 185 (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
Khalid Bueno, Stony Brook, DE, R-Fr., 6-3, 215 (CAA Football)
Isaiah Champagne, UIW, WR, R-Fr., 5-10, 180 (Southland Conference)
Treynor Cleeland, UC Davis, QB, R-Fr., 6-2, 215 (Big Sky Conference)
Bryce Coleman, Columbia, WR, Fr., 6-4, 180 (Ivy League)
Carter Dahlke, Montana State, WR, Fr., 5-9, 175 (Big Sky Conference) 
Cade Ellis, William & Mary, DB, Fr., 6-0, 195 (Patriot League)
Trehsyn Fesili, Idaho State, DE, Fr., 6-2, 217 (Big Sky Conference)
Donovan Frederick, North Carolina A&T, LB, R-Fr., 6-2, 230 (CAA Football)
Da'Jean Golmond, Norfolk State, QB, Fr., 6-2, 210 (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference)
Denver Harper, Austin Peay, WR, R-Fr., 5-8, 161 (United Athletic Conference)
Emmanuel Harris, Stephen F. Austin, DE, Fr., 6-4, 242 (Southland Conference)
Xavier Johnson, North Alabama, WR, R-Fr., 6-0, 190 (United Athletic Conference)
Kamerin McDowell-Moore, Elon, RB, Fr., 6-0, 183 (CAA Football)
Mason Mims, ETSU, QB, R-Fr., 6-3, 211 (Southern Conference)
Austyn Modrzewski, South Dakota, QB, R-Fr., 6-5, 215 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
Ashton Pannell, Chicago State, QB, Fr., 6-3, 190 (NEC Football/Independent)
Braylon Peebles, Furman, S, Fr., 5-10, 184 (Southern Conference)
Byron Perrilliat, Alabama A&M, RB, Fr., 5-11, 182 (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
Nick Peipert, St. Thomas, QB, R-Fr., 6-1, 211 (Pioneer Football League) 
Jadyn Reed, Indiana State, WR, Fr., 6-0, 175 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
Davon Smith Jr., Central Connecticut State, RB, R-Fr., 6-0, 190 (NEC Football)
Tate Surber, UT Martin, QB, R-Fr., 6-3, 200 (Ohio Valley Conference)
Parker Vance, Southern Utah, S, R-Fr., 6-2, 200 (Big Sky Conference)
Zalen "Aki" Watkins, Gardner-Webb, DL, R-Fr., 6-3, 290 (Ohio Valley Conference)
Jamarius Wilson, South Carolina State, OL, Fr., 6-3, 280 (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) 
Dax Wiskur, Drake, S, Fr., 6-2, 200 (Pioneer Football League)
Mason Wuenschel, Lamar, LB, R-Fr., 6-2, 231 (Southland Conference)