University of South Carolina punt return specialist Vicari Swain is one of 20 players named to the preseason watch list for the Jet Award, it was announced. Now in its 16th year, the Jet Award continues to celebrate the electrifying talents of players who excel on punt and kickoff returns.

Swain, a 6-0, 193-pound redshirt junior from Carrollton, Ga., was one of the nation’s top returners a season ago after returning a school-record three punts for touchdowns.  He averaged 15.9-yards on 19 punt returns with a long of 80 yards.

The award, named in honor of Heisman Trophy winner and College Football Hall of Famer Johnny “The Jet” Rodgers, will culminate with the presentation at the Jet Award Gala on April 10th, 2025. Last year’s recipient, Kaden Wetjen from Iowa, the first ever two-time Jet Award winner.

The preseason watchlist features standout players from across the nation who have demonstrated exceptional abilities in the return game. The winner of the 2026 Jet Award will be selected by a distinguished panel of voters including media members from the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA), former winners of the Jet Award, and two of our founders Johnny Rodgers and William Reed.

“Let me tell you, looking at this group is like looking in a mirror that flashes. These guys don’t just run; they fly,” said Johnny Rodgers, co-founder of the Jet Award Foundation. “They’ve got more glide in their ride and more dip in their hip than a dancing master, and they are tearing opponents loose from their shoes all across the country.”