NEW YORK -- California center Alex Mack won the Draddy Trophy on Tuesday night, given to the top senior scholar-athlete in college football.
He beat out 14 other players from all levels of college football, including Missouri quarterback Chase Daniel and Texas Tech quarterback Graham Harrell, and received the award at the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame awards banquet.
Mack has already graduated with 3.61 grade-point average and a bachelor's degree in legal studies, and has been working on a master's in education. He's also an All-America candidate and an NFL prospect.
Mack received a 25-pound bronze trophy and a $25,000 postgraduate scholarship. He's the first Cal player to win the 19-year-old trophy, known as the academic Heisman.
The other finalists were Harvard cornerback Andrew Berry; South Dakota State quarterback Ryan Berry; Carnegie Mellon offensive tackle Brian Freeman; Yale cornerback Casey Gerald; Louisiana Tech linebacker Quin Harris; Colorado State linebacker Jeff Horinek; St. Cloud State defensive end Ryan Kees; Illinois offensive tackle Ryan McDonald; Mount Union quarterback Greg Micheli; Georgia Tech defensive tackle Darryl Richard; Ohio State wide receiver Brian Robiskie; and Utah kicker Louie Sakoda.
The other finalists received an $18,000 scholarship.
Mack is the second consecutive center to win the Draddy Trophy. Dallas Griffin of Texas won it last year.
