Kaiman Rucker Named College Football Man of the Year
- Charles Reams
- Feb 3
- 3 min read
DALLAS, Texas – University of North Carolina defensive end Kaimon Rucker was recognized as one of three finalists for Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year, it was announced on Monday.
Compiled by a subset of the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Selection Committee, the finalists have all demonstrated a record of leadership by exhibiting exceptional courage, integrity and sportsmanship both on and off the field. The winner will be announced at an award ceremony in Arlington, Texas on Feb. 12, 2025.
Always searching for ways to give back, Rucker has utilized his platform as a player and numerous NIL opportunities to be a positive force in the community. Most recently, Rucker heard about the devastation in western North Carolina due to Hurricane Helene and wanted to help. After discussing it with his support system, he decided to donate $10,000 of his NIL earnings to the MANNA FoodBank in Asheville, N.C. Moved by this gesture, two of UNC's corporate sponsors, Wells Fargo and Food Lion Feeds, decided to match his donation.
Rucker used his NIL money to provide personal hygiene items for fifth graders at his elementary school in Hartwell, Ga. who are experiencing physical changes to their bodies. To accompany this, he conducted a seminar with the fifth graders, primarily males, in an effort to educate them on this phase of their life. Additionally, Rucker used the summer to go through the FCA Huddle Leadership Training course in an effort to become a mentor to young men ages 13-18 and help them discover/re-discover their faith in Christianity in relationship to maintaining their passion for sports.
Rucker is passionate about mental health. He's earned his degree in psychology, so that one day, he can become a sports psychologist and assist athletes with their mental health. Rucker has already served as a panelist for a number of mental health symposiums at UNC and provides frequent reminders to those around him about the importance of taking care of their mental health. Rucker has participated in numerous community service events ranging from hospital visits to youth camps to food drives throughout his career.
On the field, Rucker has tallied 180 tackles, 22 sacks, 38.5 TFL, four forced fumbles and an interception during five years at UNC. His 22 sacks rank sixth all-time at UNC, one ahead of the great Lawrence Taylor. His 38.5 TFL rank eighth all-time at UNC. Despite being limited to just eight games due to injury this season, Rucker managed to post 30 tackles, six sacks, eight TFL and an interception.
The award, presented by Albertsons and Tom Thumb, is the first college football honor to focus primarily on a player's leadership, both on and off the field. Leadership is a term synonymous with Jason Witten, who, in addition to becoming one of the best tight ends in the history of the sport, served as one of football's most prominent role models during his 16-year pro career. In addition to winning the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award in 2012, Witten also received the Bart Starr Award, Pro Football Weekly's Humanitarian of the Year Award, Home Depot NFL Neighborhood MVP and the Bob Lilly Award, among many others. All of those honors have recognized his work in the community, achievements on the field and dedication to his teammates and family.
The winner of the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year will also receive a $10,000 contribution in his name to his school's athletic scholarship fund. The contribution will be made by Jason Witten's SCORE Foundation, the official charity of Jason and his wife Michelle. The SCORE Foundation, founded in 2007, has positively impacted tens of thousands of children and families in Texas and Tennessee over the last 16 years. The foundation operates its nationally-recognized SCOREkeepers program, which places trained male mentors on staff to work with children at family violence shelters, at nine shelters in the two states.
