Football's Community Leaders
College Football Players Named to 2026 Good Works Team for Community Service and Leadership
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Taylor of Bemidji State is the lone Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference nominee for the 2026 Good Works Team. Beyond football, he has an extensive list of community roles including Fellowship of Christian Athletes work, Calvary Chapel vacation Bible school, FCA Northland Bible Camp, mission trips with el Refugio in Mexico, Special Olympics volunteering as a swimming official, Unified Basketball support at Bemidji High School, annual youth camps, Ruby's Pantry involvement and National Marrow Donor Program registry work. He also earned BSU's Jim Potts Award in December 2025 for community service.
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Leonard Moore, a unanimous 2025 All-American at Notre Dame, leads off-field initiatives through Tackle Attendance South Bend, a program he founded with his father to combat chronic absenteeism and boost student success via mentorship and community partnerships. The initiative emphasizes academic engagement and accountability, and Moore describes how the idea grew from his family connections and local collaborations with groups such as Gentlemen and Scholars.
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The ACC notes that 16 of its football student-athletes were nominated for the 2026 Good Works Team as part of a 175-nominee national pool. The final roster will be 23 award recipients, with a breakdown that includes 11 players from FBS and 11 players from FCS, Divisions II and III and NAIA, plus one honorary head coach, all aligned with the Allstate Wuerffel Trophy framework.
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Iowa State wide receiver Raynor joined the Cyclones in January after transferring from Arkansas State and has since engaged with local schools, the Boys and Girls Club, and hospital visits as part of his Good Works Team nomination, highlighting a rapid community impact since his arrival in Ames ahead of the 2026 season opener against SEMO on Sept. 5.
A total of 175 college football players have been nominated for the 2026 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team, the annual award recognizing student-athletes who combine on-field performance with meaningful community service. The final group of 23 recipients will be announced in September, according to BSU Beavers.
The nominees span every level of college football, from FBS powerhouses to smaller programs. They include a unanimous All-American, a transfer who hit the ground running in a new city, and a lone representative from a mid-major conference making a big impact in rural Minnesota.
Bemidji State's Taylor Stands Alone in Northern Sun Conference
LT Taylor, a senior defensive back at Bemidji State University, is the only nominee from the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference, according to BSU Beavers. His community resume is long. It includes Fellowship of Christian Athletes work, mission trips to Mexico with el Refugio, Special Olympics volunteering as a swimming official, and Unified Basketball support at Bemidji High School.
Taylor also helps run annual youth camps, volunteers at Ruby's Pantry, and has registered with the National Marrow Donor Program. In December 2025, BSU gave him the Jim Potts Award for community service. His work spans faith, health, and youth development all at once.
Notre Dame's Moore Founded a Program to Fight School Absenteeism
Leonard Moore, a unanimous 2025 All-American at Notre Dame, started a program called Tackle Attendance South Bend with his father. The goal is simple: get more kids to show up to school. Moore works with local groups like Gentlemen and Scholars to offer mentorship and build accountability.
Moore says the idea grew from his family ties and local partnerships. The program targets chronic absenteeism — when students miss so many days that learning breaks down. Tackling that problem off the field has become just as important to Moore as his play on it.
Iowa State Transfer Makes Fast Community Impact in Ames
Wide receiver Raynor joined Iowa State in January after transferring from Arkansas State. In just a few months in Ames, he has already visited local schools, volunteered with the Boys and Girls Club, and made hospital visits. His quick community involvement helped earn him a Good Works Team nomination ahead of the Cyclones' Sept. 5 season opener against SEMO.
Raynor's story highlights how the Good Works Team captures more than a player's career-long service. Even a few months of real effort can stand out. His rapid integration into the Ames community reflects what the award is designed to reward.
ACC Posts 16 Nominees as National Pool Reaches 175
The ACC reported 16 of its football student-athletes were nominated for the 2026 Good Works Team, part of a 175-nominee national pool. Other notable nominees include Illinois State linebacker Robert Kaplan, Florida linebacker Myles Graham, Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita, and Utah State's coach Bronco Mendenhall alongside running back Javen Jacobs, according to Go Redbirds, Yahoo Sports, Arizona Wildcats, and Utah State Aggies.
The final 23 recipients will include 11 players from FBS, 11 from FCS, Division II, Division III, and NAIA combined, plus one honorary head coach. The award is tied to the Allstate Wuerffel Trophy framework, which rewards players who serve others while excelling in football and academics.
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