UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State senior tight end Benjamin Brahmer was tabbed to the Lombardi Award Watch List, while junior offensive Cooper Cousins was named to the Allstate Wuerffel Trophy watch list on Tuesday. Cousins was already named an Allstate AFCA Good Works Team nominee in July.
The Lombardi Award, established in 1970, was presented to an outstanding lineman who best epitomizes the values of leadership, courage, performance and discipline on and off the field.
The Wuerffel Trophy is presented annually to the FBS player who best combines exemplary community service with leadership achievement on and off the field. It is the first major award honoring the character of service to others.
Benjamin Brahmer · Sr. · TE · 6-7 · 250 · Pierce, Neb. · Pierce · Iowa State
- Named to the Mackey Award watch list.
- Voted second-team All-Big 12 in 2025.
- Tabbed a semifinalist for the John Mackey Award in 2025.
- Selected honorable-mention All-Big 12 in 2023 and 2024.
- Earned Freshman All-America honors from The Athletic and True Freshman All-America honors from 247Sports.
- Played in 33 games and started 14 at Iowa State.
- Owns 75 receptions for 977 yards and nine touchdowns in his career.
- Ranked sixth at Iowa State in career receptions by a tight end (75) and fifth in receiving yards by a tight end (977).
- In 2025, caught 37 passes for 446 yards and six touchdowns.
- Tied-sixth among FBS tight ends with six touchdown receptions and tied-fifth in 15+ yard receptions (15).
Cooper Cousins · Jr. · OL · 6-6 · 320 · Erie, Pa. · McDowell
- Cousins was paired with 10-year-old Gannon Kupko Jr. of York County, Pennsylvania, in September 2024 through Team IMPACT, the national organization that connects children facing serious illness with college athletic programs.
- Born 12 weeks premature at 13 ounces, Gannon continues to undergo daily chemotherapy to manage immune dysfunction, and has become a fixture within the Nittany Lion program, seeking out Cousins first at practices, games and team events.
- Last spring, Cousins represented Team IMPACT nationally at the 2025 Game Day Gala, speaking in front of more than 1,000 supporters at an event that raised over $3.3 million for children like Gannon.
- "You are the reason we're better," Cousins told the audience. "You inspire us to work harder, love deeper, and laugh a little louder. You're not just part of the team…you are the team."
- Cousins credits his introduction to Penn State's culture of service in part to former teammate Nick Dawkins, the 2024 Allstate Wuerffel Trophy recipient.
- On the field, Cousins earned Academic All-Big Ten honors in 2025 and has appeared in 28 games with two starts.
- He helped anchor a front that produced the only FBS running back tandem in the country with 13-plus rushing touchdowns apiece in Kaytron Allen (15) and Nicholas Singleton (13), the first Big Ten teammates to accomplish the feat since 2012.
- Allen finished sixth nationally in rushing yards (1,303) and seventh in rushing yards per game (108.6).
- Cousins was also named to the Allstate Wuerffel Trophy watch list last year.
- Earned Academic All-Big Ten honors in 2025.
- Tabbed to the Allstate Wuerffel Trophy watch list and a Good Works Team nominee.
- Has played in 28 games and made two starts at Penn State.
- Helped the Nittany Lions to gain 400+ total yards in five games and 200+ rushing yards in five games.
- Guided Kaytron Allen to rank sixth in the country in rushing yards (1,303), seventh rushing yards per game (108.6) and rushing touchdowns (15) and 19th in yards per carry (6.2) in 2025.
- Aided Allen (15) and Nicholas Singleton (13) to be the only FBS running back duo with 13+ rushing touchdowns this season and the first Big Ten teammates with 13+ rushing touchdowns in a season since Ohio State in 2012.
The Rotary Club of Houston and the Lombardi Award Committee are celebrating the 53rd anniversary of the Lombardi Award. Established in 1970 in memory of legendary coach Vince Lombardi, the award is presented to outstanding linemen, tight ends and linebackers who best epitomize his values of leadership, courage, performance and discipline on and off the field.
The Lombardi Award dinner is set for December 9, 2026 in Houston, Texas.
The Allstate Wuerffel Trophy, named after Danny Wuerffel, 1996 Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback at Florida, is considered college football’s premier award for community service. The Allstate Wuerffel Trophy embodies Wuerffel’s commitment to being a humanitarian, while honoring student-athletes who are inspired to serve others and make positive impacts on society.
In September, 11 student-athletes from the Watch List will be named to the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team and become semifinalists for the Allstate Wuerffel Trophy.
The Allstate Wuerffel Trophy finalists will be selected by the AllState Wuerffel Trophy National Selection Committee, with input from a fan vote. The 2026 recipient will be announced on the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show on December 11 and will serve as captain of the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team.
Nittany Lions On Award Watch Lists
Ryan Barker - Groza
Rocco Becht - Maxwell
Benjamin Brahmer - Lombardi, Mackey
Gabe Burkle - Mackey
Cooper Cousins - Wuerffel Trophy
Brock Riker - Rimington Trophy
Tony Rojas - Lott IMPACT Trophy
Blaise Sokach-Minnick - Mannelly
For information on joining the Nittany Lion Club and ticket information for the 2026 Penn State Football season presented by PSECU, as well as club seating in West Shore Home Field at Beaver Stadium, fans can visit www.GoPSUsports.com, or call 1-800-NITTANY weekdays from 9 a.m.-4 p.m.