KALAMAZOO, Mich. – Western Michigan redshirt senior wide receiver/cornerback D'Wayne Eskridge has been named to the watch list for the Paul Hornung Award presented by Texas Roadhouse, an honor given to the most versatile player in the nation by The Louisville Sports Commission.

It is the first year Eskridge has been on the list and the second consecutive season a Bronco has made the list after LeVante Bellamy's selection in 2019.

Eskridge, a 5-9, 190-pound native of Bluffton, Ind., is a preseason All-Mid-American Conference selection by Athlon Sports (1st team) and Phil Steele (3rd).

In 39 career games, Eskridge has caught 88 passes for 1,476 yards (16.77) and seven touchdowns and rushed 10 times for 73 yards (7.30). Defensively, Eskridge has recorded 20 tackles with four pass breakups and one caused fumble. He owns 22 games with two or more receptions and five contests with five or more catches, including a career-high nine grabs versus Eastern Michigan in 2016. Eskridge has reached the 50-yard receiving plateau in 12 games and surpassed 100 yards in three contests with a personal-best 240 against Syracuse in 2018.

A year ago, Eskridge started the first four games of the campaign before suffering a season-ending clavicle injury at Syracuse. He was a starting wide receiver and cornerback against Syracuse and Georgia State, becoming the only two-way starter at the FBS level at that point of the year. In his starting cornerback debut versus Monmouth, he led the Broncos with eight tackles and recorded his first career pass breakup.

The Paul Hornung Award, now in its 11th season, is given by the Louisville Sports Commission and football legend and Louisville native Paul Hornung. The winner and his family will be honored at the annual Paul Hornung Award dinner presented by Jewish Hospital Sports Medicine, to be held at the Galt House Hotel in downtown Louisville in March of 2021.

Western Michigan Players on 2020 NCFAA Watch Lists
Biletnikoff Award: Skyy Moore
Butkus Award: Treshaun Hayward
Nagurski Trophy: Treshaun Hayward
Paul Hornung Award: D'Wayne Eskridge

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