DALLAS -- University of Delaware senior offensive lineman Mike Byrne (at right) has been named a semifinalist for the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame Draddy Award for academic excellence.

Byrne, a 6-6, 295 lb. senior from Lititz, PA (Manheim Central High School), was one 153 college football players in the nation, including 40 at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision, honored.

One of college football’s most sought after and competitive awards, the Draddy Trophy recognizes an individual as the absolute best in the country for his combined success, football performance, and exemplary community leadership. Semifinalists must be a senior or graduate student in their final year of eligibility, have a grade point average of 3.2 or better on a 4.0 scale, have outstanding football ability as a first team player, and have demonstrated strong leadership and citizenship.

Byrne, a pre-season first team All-Colonial Athletic Association selection after earning third team honors last season, serves as a tri-captain for Delaware and has led the No. 9 ranked Blue Hens to a 6-1 record heading into an Oct. 27 meeting at Navy.

He has paced an offense that ranks fifth in the NCAA in total offense (469.1 yards per game), No. 12 in passing offense (287.3), No. 9 in passing efficiency (159.06), and No. 11 in scoring offense (36.7) while allowing just 11 quarterback sacks

Also an ESPN The Magazine/College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-American candidate, Byrne carries a 3.5 grade point average as a double major in psychology and criminal justice. He earned second team CoSIDA District 2 All-Academic honors a year ago and is a three-time league Academic Honor Roll recipient.

Joining Byrne at the FCS level are Antonio Cooper (Alcorn State), James Williams (Austin Peay), Steven Morgan (Brown), Nick Ellis (Charleston Southern), Elliott McKinnon (Coastal Carolina), Justin Smith (Columbia), Brandon Cramer (Dayton), Josh Brite (Delaware State), Jordan Campanella (Eastern Illinois), Justin Curry (Eastern Kentucky), Thomas McAndrews (Eastern Washington), Charles Porterfield (Elon), Kyle VanFleet (Georgetown), Marcus Dixon (Hampton), Noah Van Niel (Harvard), Sterling Mennear (Idaho State), Christopher Lofrese (Iona), Shawn Demaray (Maine), Torrey Thomas (Montana), Andrew Twine (Norfolk State), Oritz Green (North Carolina A&T), Anthony Orio (Northeastern), Aaron Henderson (Northern Colorado), Chad Rinehart (Northern Iowa), Brendan Circle (Princeton), Ryan Coogler (Sacramento State), Jason Richardson (Sacred Heart), Jefferson Adcock (Samford), Parker Douglass (South Dakota State), Adam Casper (Southeast Missouri State), Nick Hill (Southern Illinois), John Webb (Towson), Justin Wiler (Valparaiso), Kevin Adleman (Wofford), Alan Kimball (Yale), Thomas Zetts (Youngstown State).

The NFF Awards Committee will select 15 finalists on Oct. 25 with those student-athletes receiving an $18,000 post-graduate scholarship. The overall Draddy Award winner will receive a $25,000 post-graduate scholarship award. on Dec. 4.