Willie Rodriguez Named Nominee for Allstate AFCA Good Works Team
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Kentucky junior tight end Willie Rodriguez has been named one of 175 nominees for the 2026 Allstate AFCA (American Football Coaches Association) Good Works Team, the organizations announced today. The 175 total nominees include 113 FBS players, 49 student-athletes from the FCS, Divisions II, III and NAIA ranks, and 13 head coaches.
For the third year, Allstate is partnering with the Wuerffel Foundation to align two of college football’s most meaningful honors: the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team and the Allstate Wuerffel Trophy. Together, they recognize student-athletes who demonstrate excellence in community service, academics, and athletics.
The 2026 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team will be announced in September and includes 22 student-athletes and one honorary head coach. One student-athlete will also be selected as team captain and receive the Allstate Wuerffel Trophy.
A selection panel composed of former Good Works Team members, college football coaches, journalists and other leaders connected to the award review of nominations from across the country. Voters evaluate candidates based on the breadth and depth of their community service, demonstrated leadership, academic achievement, and the measurable impact they have had on the people and causes they serve. The panel then selects 11 NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision players (FBS), 11 players from the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), Divisions II, III and the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) ranks, and one honorary head coach.
Rodriguez, a native of Taylor Mill, Kentucky, is a junior management major. The two-year letterwinner has played in 24 career games with 10 starting assignments and has totaled 28 receptions for 310 yards and one score in his Wildcat career.
Rodriguez’s commitment to service began at home, where he has helped care for his younger sister, Gabby, 19, who has Rett syndrome, a rare neurological and developmental disorder that primarily affects girls and impacts the way the brain develops. From an early age, he embraced the responsibilities of helping care for Gabby, assisting with her daily needs while serving as one of her biggest advocates and supporters. Through that experience, Rodriguez developed a deep sense of compassion, patience, and empathy that has shaped his character and inspired his desire to make a positive impact on those around him. The lessons he has learned from Gabby have fueled his passion for serving others, especially children, and have helped mold him into a servant leader who consistently puts the needs of others before his own.
Some of his community service events include volunteering at Golisano Children’s Hospital, volunteering at Easterseals of the Bluegrass, a non-profit in Lexington that supports individuals and families with disabilities, volunteering to help at a shoe drive to benefit Camp Horsin’ Around, a local nonprofit that enriches the lives of children whose health is compromised or who have special needs by collaborating with organized groups to provide an outdoor camp adventure and volunteering at Gabby’s high school, Scott High School, where he played games and spent time with her classmates.
The Allstate AFCA Good Works Team was established in 1992 by the College Football Association, recognizing the extra efforts made by college football players and student support staff off the field. AFCA became the governing body of the award in 1997 and continues to honor college football players who go the extra mile for those in need. Allstate worked to present the award starting with the 2008 season.
