By Staff Report.
Clemson, SC—Clemson All-American receiver Sammy Watkins has been named to the Hornung Award Watch List for 2012. The honor is named after former Notre Dame Heisman Trophy (1956) winner Paul Hornung and is presented to the top all-purpose player in college football.
Last year, Watkins gained 2,288 all-purpose yards and ranked fourth in the nation in all-purpose yardage per game. His 2,288 total led the ACC and was the second highest total in Clemson history. Only C.J. Spiller’s 2,680 yards in 2009 is greater.
Watkins 2,288 yards last year set an ACC freshman record, as did his 82 receptions, 12 receiving touchdowns and 1219 receiving yards. His yardage total was a Clemson record regardless of class.
Watkins was named the first-team AP All-America all-purpose player last year, just the fourth true freshman in college football history to be named a first-team AP All-American as a non-kicker.
Eight Clemson players have been named to various Watch lists 16 times during the preseason. Tajh Boyd has been named to the watch list for four awards, while Dalton Freeman and Sammy Watkins are listed on three watch lists apiece.
Clemson Players on Preseason Watch Lists for 2012
Player Award Honor
Andre Ellington Doak Walker Top Running Back
Maxwell Award Top Player
DeAndre Hopkins Biletnikoff Award Top Receiver
Dalton Freeman Rimington Award Top Center
Outland Trophy Top Lineman
Lombardi Award Top Lineman
Brandon Ford John Mackey Top Tight End
Chandler Catanzaro Lou Groza Top Place Kicker
Malliciah Goodman Hendricks Award Top Defensive End
Tajh Boyd Davey O’Brien Top Quarterback
Walter Camp Top Player
Maxwell Award Top Player
Manning Award Top Quarterback
Sammy Watkins Maxwell Award Top Player
Walter Camp Top Player
Hornung Award Top All-Purpose