The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame awarded LSU senior center Rudy Niswanger the Draddy Trophy on Tuesday night in New York City.
The award, which is also known as the Academic Heisman, is given to the top scholar-athlete in collegiate football. The winner exhibits the best combination of academic success, football accomplishments and community service.
Niswanger received a $25,000 postgraduate scholarship and 25-pound bronze trophy. The other 15 finalists each received an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship.
“This is a tremendous honor, and I am very proud to accept this outstanding award,” Niswanger said in a news release. “I want to thank the faculty and staff at LSU as well as the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame for this great honor.”
Niswanger started 11 games this season and was a 2005 team captain. He has already been accepted into LSU Medical School after graduating Summa Cum Laude with a 4.0 GPA from the University in May with a degree in Kinesiology.
The Monroe native was on the Southeastern Conference Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and participated with the Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts and the Campus Crusade for Christ.
In addition, Niswanger took part in the LSU player outreach program and volunteered at LSU campus shelters for victims of hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
“I am so proud of Rudy,” coach Les Miles said. “He combines all of the outstanding qualities of a student-athlete with all of the strengths that this award represents. His work in the classroom, on the football field and in the community makes him truly deserving of the honor. He represents the best that college football has to offer, and he is an outstanding representative of not only our football team, but LSU and the state of Louisiana.”
Niswanger is the sixth Southeastern Conference player to claim the honor and the second straight SEC player to win the Draddy Award.
Former Tennessee offensive lineman Michael Munoz was chosen last season. Other SEC winners include former Volunteers’ quarterback Peyton Manning and Florida quarterback Danny Wuerffel.
Alabama linebacker DeMeco Ryans was the only other finalist this season from the SEC.
 ”We are proud to bestow this honor on Rudy Niswanger,” National Football Foundation President Steven J. Hatchell said. “He represents an unbelievable group. We had 184 of the greatest candidates ever nominated. Rudy joins an elite group of past recipients who serve [as] the perfect role models for all young players to emulate.”
The Draddy Trophy is one of several honors Niswanger has received this season. He was given the inaugural Wuerffel Trophy on Dec. 1, was named a First-Team Academic All-American by ESPN the Magazine on Dec. 2 and was chosen as the SEC’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year on Wednesday.