SUTTON TO RECEIVE EMERGING LEADER AWARD FROM SMU
A Brenham native will be returning to his college alma mater to receive a prestigious honor. SMU has selected Denver Broncos Wide Receiver Courtland Sutton to receive their Emerging Leader Award.
The award honors alumni, who have graduated within the past 15 years, and made significant contributions in their fields and communities.
The award is being presented as part of their Distinguished Alumni Dinner on Thursday, November 12, at 7pm.
In addition to the award, Sutton is also one of four people being named as SMU's Distinguished Alumni. The others include Gerald Alley, the first African-American entrepreneur to serve on the University's Board of Trustees, Eagle Oil and Gas Co-Founder Pat Bolin, and University of Tennessee Chancellor Donde Plowman.
From smu.edu
For Courtland Jaleel Sutton ’17, the path from Brenham, Texas, to the NFL began with family, hard work and a standout career on the Hilltop. The son of Phelicia Marshall and Ryian Marshall, Sutton learned the value of hard work at an early age. Growing up, he helped build barbed-wire fences and clear bushes and trees by hand – demanding work that helped shape the discipline, toughness and approach to preparation he would later bring to football. Sutton arrived at SMU as a two-way high school standout and developed into one of the most accomplished wide receivers in Mustang history.
After an injury cut his first season at SMU short, Sutton returned to make an immediate impact. Over his collegiate career, he started 37 of 39 games and recorded 195 receptions for 3,220 yards and 31 touchdowns. By the time he left the Hilltop, Sutton ranked second in SMU history in receiving touchdowns, third in receiving yards and sixth in receptions. As a redshirt junior in 2017, he earned Associated Press second-team All-America and first-team All-American Athletic Conference honors after recording 68 catches for 1,085 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Sutton’s time at SMU prepared him for more than a professional football career. He earned his degree in sport management in 2017 before taking the next step toward the NFL.
The Denver Broncos selected Sutton in the second round with the 40th overall pick of the 2018 NFL Draft, beginning a professional career that has established him among the most productive receivers in franchise history. A two-time Pro Bowler, Sutton has become a cornerstone of the Broncos offense and ranks fifth in franchise history in receiving yards.
His impact, however, reaches well beyond the football field. Through the Sutton Family Foundation, Sutton has focused on creating opportunities for young people and helping athletes prepare for success beyond their playing careers. He and the foundation made a major contribution to SMU Athletics’ Life After Ball program, supporting career preparation and networking opportunities for Mustang student-athletes and establishing The Sutton Family Foundation Professional Development Series.
Sutton has also supported organizations including the Boys & Girls Club, AP Ranch and Shoes That Fit, extending his commitment to young people and underserved communities beyond the Hilltop.
Through his success at SMU, accomplishments in the NFL and investment in the next generation, Sutton continues to reflect the work ethic first instilled in him growing up in Brenham. He and his wife, Brea, married in 2023.