Kansas junior cornerback Aqib Talib’s award-laden preseason added another mention Thursday, as he was one of 35 players named to the watch list for the Walter Camp award, given annually by the Walter Camp Football Foundation to its Player of the Year.
Talib, already mentioned in most preseason All-American listings, is also on the watch list for the Bronko Nagurski Award, which honors the nation’s top defensive player.
The watch list is trimmed to 10 semifinalists early in November, and then the winner is then announced at the ESPN/Home Depot College Football Awards Show in December. The trophy is presented at the Foundation’s annual national awards banquet on Jan. 12 at the Yale University Commons in New Haven, Conn.
Talib, a 6-foot-2, 205 pound native of Richardson, Texas, is one of just four Big 12 players on the list, joining Missouri quarterback Chase Daniel, Texas quarterback Colt McCoy and Texas receiver Limas Sweed (full list below).
Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith, who also won the Heisman Trophy, was awarded by the Foundation with the honor in 2006.
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2007 Walter Camp Player of the Year watch list
Anthony Aldridge, RB, Sr., Houston
Travis Beckum, TE, Jr., Wisconsin#
Earl Bennett, WR, Jr., Vanderbilt
Yvenson Bernard, RB, Sr., Oregon State
Tommy Blake, DL, Sr., TCU
John David Booty, QB, Sr., USC
Colt Brennan, QB, Sr., Hawaii#
Jasper Brinkley, LB, Sr., South Carolina
Brian Brohm, QB, Sr., Louisville
Dan Connor, LB, Sr., Penn State
Chase Daniel, QB, Jr., Missouri
James Davis, RB, Jr., Clemson
Jarett Dillard, WR, Sr., Rice#
Glenn Dorsey, DL, Senior, LSU
Michael Hart, RB, Sr., Michigan#
Omar Haugabook, QB, Sr., Troy
Jonathan Hefney, DB/KR, Sr., Tennessee
P.J. Hill, RB, So., Wisconsin
Chad Henne, QB, Sr., Michigan
DeSean Jackson, WR/KR, Jr., California*
Lawrence Jackson, DL, Jr., LSU
Ian Johnson, RB, Jr., Boise State
James Laurinaitis, LB, Jr., Ohio State*
Nate Longshore, QB, Jr., California
Mario Manningham, WR, Sr., Michigan
Colt McCoy, QB, So., Texas
Darren McFadden, RB, Jr., Arkansas*
Kalvin McRae, RB, Sr., Ohio
Matt Ryan, QB, Sr., Boston College
Ray Rice, RB, Jr., Rutgers#
Steve Slaton, RB, Jr., West Virginia*
C.J. Spiller, RB, So., Clemson
Tyrell Sutton, WR, Jr., Northwestern
Limas Sweed, WR, Sr., Texas
Aqib Talib, DB, Jr., Kansas
Pat White, QB, Jr., West Virginia
* 2006 Walter Camp First Team All-America
# 2006 Walter Camp Second Team All-America