It’s watch list time again. No, I don’t mean waking up every morning checking to see if Florida State has finally found a way to muscle out of the ACC.
No, I’m talking about the pre-season football watch lists, some very position specific, some broader in nature.
Now most college sports have preseason watch lists. Maybe all. I’m not sure about cross-country or fencing. But football takes the cake. There’s a watch list for everything. And many of them go around 50 or so deep. And even then, they don’t get everyone. Did anyone have Max Duggan on their Heisman
radar screen this time last year?
So, yes, a way to promote the upcoming season. But still, at least somebody’s snapshot of who the best players might be and where they’ll be playing. And it’s nice to see Duke represented on some of these lists.
Eight Blue Devils in fact.
Riley Leonard is on the Maxwell Award list, presented to the nation’s best player, along with the Davey O’Brien and Manning awards for top quarterback. He will be protected by center Jacob Monk (Rimington Award) and Graham Barton (Outland Trophy), while passing to Jalon Calhoun (Biletnikoff).
Defensive tackle DeWayne Carter is on multiple watch lists, while Ja’Mion Franklin is on the Wuerffel list for community service. Punter Porter Wilson (Ray Guy) and DB/kick returner Jaylen Stinson (Paul Hornung) key the special teams.
Like I said, big lists and none of these guys are likely to end number one ahead of the host of first-round draft picks playing for Georgia, Alabama, Ohio State, Michigan, Clemson and the other football factories. Mike McGee is the only Blue Devil to win a national award; he was the 1959 Outland Award winner as the nation’s top lineman.
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