Army West Point Athletics
Gennarelli and Small Named to Outland Trophy Preseason Watch List
July 29, 2025 | Football
WEST POINT, N.Y. – Army West Point junior offensive guard Paolo Gennarelli and junior center Brady Small have been named to the preseason watch list for the 2025 Outland Trophy by the Football Writers Association of America.
The list recognizes 50 returning standout interior linemen representing nine of the FBS conferences and Independents. There are 16 guards and 15 offensive tackles on this year's list to go with 10 defensive tackles and nine centers.
Last season, Gennarelli and Small anchored an offensive line unit that led the FBS in rushing yards last season at 300.5 yards per game, as the unit went on to win the 2024 Joe Moore Award for the Most Outstanding Offensive Line Unit in College Football—marking the first time a Group of Five school earned the honor.
Small has started in 26 consecutive games at center since debuting in the starting lineup in Week 1 as a true freshman in 2023.
Last season, Gennarelli was named to the Associated Press All-America third team, starting in all 13 games at right guard. He also earned the Outland Trophy National Player of the Week honor for his play on Oct. 19 vs. East Carolina.
The recipient of the 2025 Outland Trophy will be announced on The Home Depot College Football Awards, live on ESPN on Friday, Dec. 12. The official trophy presentation to the winner will be made at the Outland Trophy Awards Dinner sponsored by Werner Enterprises and produced by the Greater Omaha Sports Committee on Jan. 21, 2026 in Omaha, Neb.
The FWAA will announce six or seven Outland Trophy semifinalists on Nov. 19 at a reception in Omaha, and those players will then be pared down to three finalists announced on Nov. 25 on ESPN. The Outland Trophy winner is chosen from those finalists who will be part of the annual FWAA All-America Team. The FWAA All-America Committee, after voting input from the entire membership, selects a 26-man first team and eventually the three Outland finalists. Committee members, then by individual ballot, select the winner. Only interior linemen on offense or defense are eligible for the award; ends and edge rushers are not eligible.
Players may be added or removed from the watch list during the course of the season. For a third year now, the FWAA will announce an Outland Trophy National Player of the Week each Tuesday this season. If not already on the watch list, each week's honored player will be added at that time.
The Outland Trophy, celebrating its 80th year since its founding, is the third-oldest major college football award. Created in 1946 when Dr. John Outland presented the FWAA with a financial contribution to initiate the award, the Outland Trophy has been given to the best interior lineman in college football ever since Dr. Outland, an All-American at the University of Pennsylvania in the late 1890s, eventually took up practice in Kansas City, Mo. An avid outdoorsman, Dr. Outland believed linemen did not get the credit they deserved and wanted an award to recognize them.
The Outland Trophy is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which encompasses college football's most prestigious awards. The NCFAA's 25 awards have honored more than 950 recipients since 1935.
The list recognizes 50 returning standout interior linemen representing nine of the FBS conferences and Independents. There are 16 guards and 15 offensive tackles on this year's list to go with 10 defensive tackles and nine centers.
Last season, Gennarelli and Small anchored an offensive line unit that led the FBS in rushing yards last season at 300.5 yards per game, as the unit went on to win the 2024 Joe Moore Award for the Most Outstanding Offensive Line Unit in College Football—marking the first time a Group of Five school earned the honor.
Small has started in 26 consecutive games at center since debuting in the starting lineup in Week 1 as a true freshman in 2023.
Last season, Gennarelli was named to the Associated Press All-America third team, starting in all 13 games at right guard. He also earned the Outland Trophy National Player of the Week honor for his play on Oct. 19 vs. East Carolina.
The recipient of the 2025 Outland Trophy will be announced on The Home Depot College Football Awards, live on ESPN on Friday, Dec. 12. The official trophy presentation to the winner will be made at the Outland Trophy Awards Dinner sponsored by Werner Enterprises and produced by the Greater Omaha Sports Committee on Jan. 21, 2026 in Omaha, Neb.
The FWAA will announce six or seven Outland Trophy semifinalists on Nov. 19 at a reception in Omaha, and those players will then be pared down to three finalists announced on Nov. 25 on ESPN. The Outland Trophy winner is chosen from those finalists who will be part of the annual FWAA All-America Team. The FWAA All-America Committee, after voting input from the entire membership, selects a 26-man first team and eventually the three Outland finalists. Committee members, then by individual ballot, select the winner. Only interior linemen on offense or defense are eligible for the award; ends and edge rushers are not eligible.
Players may be added or removed from the watch list during the course of the season. For a third year now, the FWAA will announce an Outland Trophy National Player of the Week each Tuesday this season. If not already on the watch list, each week's honored player will be added at that time.
The Outland Trophy, celebrating its 80th year since its founding, is the third-oldest major college football award. Created in 1946 when Dr. John Outland presented the FWAA with a financial contribution to initiate the award, the Outland Trophy has been given to the best interior lineman in college football ever since Dr. Outland, an All-American at the University of Pennsylvania in the late 1890s, eventually took up practice in Kansas City, Mo. An avid outdoorsman, Dr. Outland believed linemen did not get the credit they deserved and wanted an award to recognize them.
The Outland Trophy is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which encompasses college football's most prestigious awards. The NCFAA's 25 awards have honored more than 950 recipients since 1935.
Players Mentioned
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