Holmes named to STATS FCS Jerry Rice Award watch list

ALBANY — University at Albany freshman Dev Holmes has been named to the watch list for the STATS Jerry Rice Award, given annually to the top freshman in the Football Championship Subdivision.

Holmes has 28 catches for 587 yards and four touchdowns through five games. He’s eclipsed 100 yards receiving three times already, and he leads the Colonial Athletic Association with 117 receiving yards per game. Against Morgan State in Week 3, Holmes had a 238-yard performance that was just 13 yards shy of the Great Danes’ all-time record.

The 5-foot-8, 153-pound native of Troy, N.Y., is one of 15 players on the watch list for the award, which is named for the Hall of Fame wide receiver. Three of the award’s first four recipients have gone on to play in the NFL: Terrence West (Towson), Cooper Kupp (Eastern Washington) and Chase Edmonds (Fordham).

A national panel of more than 150 sports information and media relations directors, broadcasters, writers and other dignitaries will vote on the award following the regular season.

The Great Danes are back home this weekend to face Richmond in a CAA game. Kickoff is at 7 Saturday night at Casey Stadium.