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Sahakian Nominated for Allstate’s AFCA Good Works Team
7/20/2026 8:05:00 AM | Football
NORTHBROOK, Ill. – Duke graduate offensive lineman Micah Sahakian has been nominated for the 2026 Allstate American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Good Works Team.
Sahakian is one of 175 student-athletes nominated nationwide for his exemplary community service, academic achievement and leadership. The AFCA Good Works Team was established in 1992 and has been presented by Allstate since 2008. The program honors players who use their platforms to strengthen communities and support causes important to them.
The 2026 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team will be announced in September and include 22 student-athletes and one honorary head coach. One student-athlete will also be selected as team captain and receive the Allstate Wuerffel Trophy.
Sahakian, a native of Mount Prospect, Illinois, has experienced action in four games at Duke with two starts. He missed the first portion of the 2024 season recovering from injury and was cleared to play during the final month of the campaign. He then missed the entire 2025 season due to injury but is expected to be in the starting mix for the Duke offensive line in 2026. Sahakian was named to the ACC Academic Honor Roll during the 2024-25 campaign and was a two-time All-Ivy League selection while at Cornell (2022 - honorable mention; 2023 - second team). He was rated by Pro Football Focus as Duke's highest-graded (89.5) transfer when he arrived in 2024 and was the recipient of Duke's 2024 Micah Harris Trinity Teammate Award, presented annually to the member of the Duke football program who displays the highest teammate qualities such as inspiration, unselfishness and commitment to the team.
Sahakian graduated from Cornell in May 2024 with a bachelor of applied science in pre-medical studies and a business minor. He is currently pursuing a masters in liberal studies with a certificate in global health at Duke.
He has made four trips in the last five years to Lebanon with his most recent in January 2026. He chose Lebanon because it is where his parents immigrated from before he was born. He has made multiple visits through Living With Power, a non-profit ministry his aunt started to support Syrian refugees and the Lebanese. During these trips, Sahakian has connected with adults and children without homes, jobs, stable education or enough food to eat. He has also run faith-based sports camps and medical clinics. These experiences have humbled him and put his life into perspective.
Additionally, Sahakian has donated his time at the Duke Children's Hospital, New Hope Elementary School and the Emily K Center.
A selection panel composed of former Good Works Team members, college football coaches, journalists and other leaders connected to the award reviews 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.
Duke has had 15 Blue Devils earn the prestigious honor of being named to the AFCA Good Works Team and 11 in the last 13 years with Chandler Rivers (2025), Ja'Mion Franklin (2023), DeWayne Carter (2022), Rakavius Chambers (2020), Koby Quansah (2019), Johnathan Lloyd (2018), Gabe Brander (2017), DeVon Edwards (2016), Kelby Brown (2015), Laken Tomlinson (2014), Dave Harding (2013), Sean Renfree (2012), Bryan Morgan (2010), Re'quan Boyette (2008) and Zaid Abdul-Aleem (1994).
#GoDuke
Sahakian is one of 175 student-athletes nominated nationwide for his exemplary community service, academic achievement and leadership. The AFCA Good Works Team was established in 1992 and has been presented by Allstate since 2008. The program honors players who use their platforms to strengthen communities and support causes important to them.
The 2026 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team will be announced in September and include 22 student-athletes and one honorary head coach. One student-athlete will also be selected as team captain and receive the Allstate Wuerffel Trophy.
Sahakian, a native of Mount Prospect, Illinois, has experienced action in four games at Duke with two starts. He missed the first portion of the 2024 season recovering from injury and was cleared to play during the final month of the campaign. He then missed the entire 2025 season due to injury but is expected to be in the starting mix for the Duke offensive line in 2026. Sahakian was named to the ACC Academic Honor Roll during the 2024-25 campaign and was a two-time All-Ivy League selection while at Cornell (2022 - honorable mention; 2023 - second team). He was rated by Pro Football Focus as Duke's highest-graded (89.5) transfer when he arrived in 2024 and was the recipient of Duke's 2024 Micah Harris Trinity Teammate Award, presented annually to the member of the Duke football program who displays the highest teammate qualities such as inspiration, unselfishness and commitment to the team.
Sahakian graduated from Cornell in May 2024 with a bachelor of applied science in pre-medical studies and a business minor. He is currently pursuing a masters in liberal studies with a certificate in global health at Duke.
He has made four trips in the last five years to Lebanon with his most recent in January 2026. He chose Lebanon because it is where his parents immigrated from before he was born. He has made multiple visits through Living With Power, a non-profit ministry his aunt started to support Syrian refugees and the Lebanese. During these trips, Sahakian has connected with adults and children without homes, jobs, stable education or enough food to eat. He has also run faith-based sports camps and medical clinics. These experiences have humbled him and put his life into perspective.
Additionally, Sahakian has donated his time at the Duke Children's Hospital, New Hope Elementary School and the Emily K Center.
A selection panel composed of former Good Works Team members, college football coaches, journalists and other leaders connected to the award reviews 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.
Duke has had 15 Blue Devils earn the prestigious honor of being named to the AFCA Good Works Team and 11 in the last 13 years with Chandler Rivers (2025), Ja'Mion Franklin (2023), DeWayne Carter (2022), Rakavius Chambers (2020), Koby Quansah (2019), Johnathan Lloyd (2018), Gabe Brander (2017), DeVon Edwards (2016), Kelby Brown (2015), Laken Tomlinson (2014), Dave Harding (2013), Sean Renfree (2012), Bryan Morgan (2010), Re'quan Boyette (2008) and Zaid Abdul-Aleem (1994).
#GoDuke
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