Former LSU Tiger quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels added another prestigious award to his resume as he was named the 2023-24 Roy F. Kramer SEC Male Athlete of the Year by a vote of the league’s athletics directors, Commissioner Greg Sankey announced early Tuesday morning.
It’s the second year in a row that an LSU athlete has claimed the award as Daniels follows Dylan Crews, who won the honor last year after leading the Tigers to the national title. Daniels joins Joe Burrow (football, 2020), Susan Jackson (gymnastics, 2010), Xavier Carter (track and field, 2006), Seimone Augustus (women’s basketball, 2006), Walter Davis (track and field, 2002), and Shaquille O’Neal (basketball, 1991 and 1992) as former LSU winners of the award.
Florida distance runner Parker Valby was named the SEC Female Athlete of the Year.
“The SEC is pleased to honor Parker and Jayden as this year’s Roy F. Kramer Athletes of the Year,” said SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey. “It takes an exceptional level of discipline and commitment to achieve at highest level of competition, a level that has been reached by Parker and Jayden with the consistency necessary to be called the best of the best. These young people are great examples of what it means to be a student-athlete in the Southeastern Conference.”
The 2023 Heisman Trophy winner, Jayden Daniels is the only player in FBS history to rush for 200 yards and pass for 350 yards in a game against Florida, setting the SEC mark for total offense with 606 total yards (234 rush, 372 pass) in the win over the Gators.
The consensus All-America was also named to other awards including being the SEC Offensive Player of the Year, the Walter Camp Offensive Player of the Year, the Associated Press Player of the Year, and the Sporting News Player of the Year. In addition, he won the Davey O’Brien, Manning, and Johnny Unitas Golden Arm awards.
Daniels led the nation in total offense (412.2), points responsible/game (25.2), passer rating (208.0), yards per attempt (11.7), rushing yards by QB (1,134), and yards per play (10.71). He ranked No. 3 nationally in TD passes (40), passing yards (3,812), and passing yards/game (317.7). His passer rating of 208.0 is the highest in FBS history.
Daniels’ 412.2 yards of total offense broke the SEC mark of 402.6 (Joe Burrow, 2019) and he tied the SEC record for total TDs with 8 vs. Georgia State. He completed 236-of-327 passes for 3,812 yards, 40 TDs, and only four interceptions for the season. He added 10 rushing TDs to become only the fifth player in league history to account for 50 touchdowns in a season.
In 2023, Daniels joined Johnny Manziel as the only players in SEC history to pass for 3,500 yards and rush for 1,000 yards in a single season. The new Washington Commander quarterback is the only player in FBS history to pass for 12,000 yards and rush for 3,000 yards in a career. Daniels capped his collegiate career with 12,749 passing yards and 3,307 rushing yards.
The other male nominees were Mark Sears, Alabama (basketball); Hagen Smith, Arkansas (baseball); Jackson Koivun, Auburn (golf); Josh Liendo, Florida (swimming & diving); Charlie Condon, Georgia (baseball); Keaton Daniel, Kentucky (track & field); Tarik Robinson-O’Hagan, Ole Miss (track & field); Josh Hubbard, Mississippi State (basketball); Cody Schrader, Missouri (football); Xavier Legette, South Carolina (football); Dalton Knecht, Tennessee (basketball); Evan Aschenbeck, Texas A&M (baseball); Gordon Sargent, Vanderbilt (golf).
The other female nominees were Doris Lemngole, Alabama (track & field); Nickisha Pryce, Arkansas (track & field); Maddie Penta, Auburn (softball); Sophie Fischer, Georgia (volleyball); Raena Worley, Kentucky (gymnastics); Haleigh Bryant, LSU (gymnastics); McKenzie Long, Ole Miss (track & field); Julia Lopez Ramirez, Mississippi State (golf); Jocelyn Moore, Missouri (gymnastics); Kamilla Cardoso, South Carolina (basketball); Kiki Milloy, Tennessee (softball); Mary Stoiana, Texas A&M (tennis); Veronica Fraley, Vanderbilt (track & field).
The first presentation of the SEC Athletes of the Year Award was in 1976 for men and 1984 for women. The award was renamed the Roy F. Kramer Athletes of the Year in 2004 to honor the former Commissioner who served the conference from 1990-2002.
Past recipients of the SEC Athlete of the Year Award include:
2024 – Jayden Daniels, LSU (football) and Parker Valby, Florida (cross country/track)
2023 – Dylan Crews, LSU (baseball) and Trinity Thomas, Florida (gymnastics)
2022 – Bryce Young, Alabama (football) and Aliyah Boston, South Carolina (basketball)
2021 – DeVonta Smith, Alabama (football) and Madison Lilley, Kentucky (volleyball)
2020 – Joe Burrow, LSU (football) and Tyasha Harris, South Carolina (basketball)
2019 – Grant Holloway, Florida (track & field) and Maria Fassi, Arkansas (golf)
2018 – Caeleb Dressel, Florida (swimming) and A’ja Wilson, South Carolina (basketball)
2017 – Brent Rooker, Mississippi State (baseball) and Kendell Williams, Georgia (track & field)
2016 – Jarrion Lawson, Arkansas (track & field) and Bridget Sloan, Florida (gymnastics)
2015 – Andrew Benintendi, Arkansas (baseball) and Lauren Haeger, Florida (softball)
2014 – AJ Reed, Kentucky (baseball) and Hannah Rogers, Florida (softball)
2013 – Johnny Manziel, Texas A&M (football) and Allison Schmitt, Georgia (swimming)
2012 – Anthony Davis, Kentucky (basketball) and Brooke Pancake, Alabama (golf)
2011 – John-Patrick Smith, Tennessee (tennis) and Kayla Hoffman, Alabama (gymnastics)
2010 – Mark Ingram, Alabama (football) and Susan Jackson, LSU (gymnastics)
2009 – Tim Tebow, Florida (football) and Courtney Kupets, Georgia (gymnastics)
2008 – Tim Tebow, Florida (football) and Candace Parker, Tennessee (basketball)
2007 – David Price, Vanderbilt (baseball) and Monica Abbott, Tennessee (softball)
2006 – Xavier Carter, LSU (track & field) and Seimone Augustus, LSU (basketball)
2005 – Ryan Lochte, Florida (swimming) and Kirsty Coventry, Auburn (swimming)
2004 – Alistair Cragg, Arkansas (cross country/track) and Jeana Rice, Alabama (gymnastics)
2003 – Alistair Cragg, Arkansas (cross country/track) and LaToya Thomas, Mississippi State (basketball)
2002 – Walter Davis, LSU (track & field) and Andree’ Pickens, Alabama (gymnastics)
2001 – Matias Boeker, Georgia (tennis) and Amy Yoder Begley, Arkansas (cross country/track)
2000 – Kip Bouknight, South Carolina (baseball) and Kristy Kowal, Georgia (swimming)
1999 – Tim Couch, Kentucky (football) and Chamique Holdsclaw, Tennessee (basketball)
1998 – Peyton Manning, Tennessee (football) and Chamique Holdsclaw, Tennessee (basketball)
1997 – Danny Wuerffel, Florida (football) and Trinity Johnson, South Carolina (softball)
1996 – Danny Wuerffel, Florida (football) and Saudia Roundtree, Georgia (basketball)
1995 – Todd Helton, Tennessee (baseball) and Jenny Hansen, Kentucky (gymnastics)
1994 – Corliss Williamson, Arkansas (basketball) and Nicole Haislett, Florida (swimming)
1993 – Jamal Mashburn, Kentucky (basketball) and Nicole Haislett, Florida (swimming)
1992 – Shaquille O’Neal, LSU (basketball) and Vicki Goetze, Georgia (golf)
1991 – Shaquille O’Neal, LSU (basketball) and Daedra Charles, Tennessee (basketball)
1990 – Alec Kessler, Georgia (basketball) and Dee Foster, Alabama (gymnastics)
1989 – Derrick Thomas, Alabama (football) and Bridgette Gordon, Tennessee (basketball)
1988 – Will Perdue, Vanderbilt (basketball) and Dara Torres, Florida (swimming)
1987 – Cornelius Bennett, Alabama (football) and Lillie Leatherwood-King, Alabama (track and field)
1986 – Bo Jackson, Auburn (football) and Jennifer Gillom, Ole Miss (basketball)
1985 – Will Clark, Mississippi State (baseball) and Penney Hauschild, Alabama (gymnastics)
1984 – Terry Hoage, Georgia (football) and Tracy Caulkins, Florida (swimming)
1983 – Herschel Walker, Georgia (football/track and field)
1982 – Buck Belue, Georgia (football/baseball)
1981 – Rowdy Gaines, Auburn (swimming)
1980 – Kyle Macy, Kentucky (basketball)
1979 – Reggie King, Alabama (basketball)
1978 – Jack Givens, Kentucky (basketball)
1977 – Larry Seivers, Tennessee (football)
1976 – Harvey Glance, Auburn (track and field)