Corey Rucker Named to 2025 Maxwell Award Watch List
Arkansas State senior wide receiver Corey Rucker continues to gain national attention ahead of the 2025 college football season, as he was named Monday to the Maxwell Award Watch List, an honor presented annually to the most outstanding player in college football.
Rucker is one of just 80 players nationwide to be recognized on the prestigious list. His selection places him among the top performers in the country and marks another milestone in a record-breaking career.
He becomes the fifth player in Arkansas State history to earn a spot on the Maxwell Watch List, joining former standouts Kirk Merritt (2019), Layne Hatcher (2021), Justice Hansen (2018), and Fredi Knighten (2015).
Rucker enters his senior season as the program’s all-time leader in career receiving yards with 3,037, while ranking second in career touchdown catches (23) and career receptions (180). In 2024, he became just the seventh player in A-State history to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark in a single season, finishing with 1,053 yards on 69 catches — the fourth-highest receiving total in program history.
He averaged 81.0 receiving yards per game last year, with five games over the 100-yard mark. His standout performances included a season-high 193 yards on 12 catches against Troy and a 79-yard reception in the 68 Ventures Bowl victory over Bowling Green.
Rucker is no stranger to honors. A two-time Second Team All-Sun Belt selection (2021, 2024) and 2021 FWAA Freshman All-America pick, he was selected First Team Preseason All-Sun Belt for 2025 by both Phil Steele and Athlon Sports.
In addition to the Maxwell Award Watch List, he’s also a nominee for the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team, recognizing excellence in community service, and has been named to the East-West Shrine Bowl 1000 Watch List, which highlights top NFL draft prospects.
First awarded in 1937, the Maxwell Award is named in honor of Robert W. “Tiny” Maxwell and is presented by the Maxwell Football Club. It is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which encompasses 25 of the sport’s most prestigious awards. NCFAA members have honored more than 900 players since 1935, and 12 of those awards will recognize weekly national players of the week during the 2025 season.
Arkansas State is riding a wave of momentum heading into the fall. The Red Wolves are coming off back-to-back bowl appearances, including a dominant win in the 2024 68 Ventures Bowl, and are one of just four FBS programs to have increased their regular season win total every year since 2022.
The 2025 season kicks off on Saturday, August 30, when A-State hosts Southeast Missouri at Centennial Bank Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.