Ole Miss’ Ben Brown Named a Semifinalist for Campbell Trophy
Rebel Lineman Earns Honors for Accomplishments On, Off the Field
IRVING, Texas – (Media Relations) Ole Miss senior Ben Brown was named a semifinalist for the 2021 William V. Campbell Trophy, the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame announced Wednesday.
The award recognizes an individual as the absolute best in the country for his combined academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership.
Brown, a preseason All-SEC selection, has been a mainstay on the Rebels offensive line at several positions, starting 37 career games since 2018. Brown helps anchor an Ole Miss o-line that protects the top-ranked offense in the country, averaging 635.3 yards and 52.7 points per game. The Rebels also rank fourth nationally in rushing offense (298.7).
The Vicksburg, Mississippi, native graduated in December 2020 with a degree in exercise science and currently holds a 3.64 GPA. Brown is pursuing his master’s in health promotion in hopes of becoming a physical therapist. Brown has volunteered for several community service events including Reading with the Rebels and the Adopt-A-Basket program.
Brown has been named to the Dean’s Honor Roll three times and the Chancellor’s Honor Roll four times during his four years at Ole Miss.
The NFF will announce 12-14 finalists on Oct. 27, and each of them will receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship as a member of the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class Presented by Fidelity Investments. One of the finalists will be named the winner of the 32nd Campbell Trophy® during the 63rd NFF Annual Awards Dinner on Dec. 7 and have his postgraduate scholarship increased to $25,000.
The 176 semifinalists have been nominated by their schools as the best all-around student-athlete on their respective football teams. Each nominee must be a senior or graduate student in their final year of eligibility, have a GPA of at least 3.2 on a 4.0 scale, have outstanding football ability as a first team player or significant contributor and have demonstrated strong leadership and citizenship. The candidates come from all levels of play in the NCAA and the NAIA.
Named in honor of the late Bill Campbell, former player and head coach at Columbia University and the 2004 recipient of the NFF’s Gold Medal, the Campbell Trophy® is a 25-pound bronze trophy.
(Feature image: Petre Thomas, Ole Miss)
Evelyn Van Pelt
Evelyn has covered sports for over two decades, beginning her journalism career as a sports writer for a newspaper in Austin, Texas. She attended Texas A&M and majored in English. Evelyn’s love for Ole Miss began when her daughter Katie attended the university on a volleyball scholarship. Evelyn created the Rebel Walk in 2013 and has served as publisher and managing editor since its inception.
