Graduate transfers Tre McKitty and Jamie Newman are among 11 Georgia players on preseason watch lists for national awards.
Newman, who came to Georgia from Wake Forest, was included among the players to watch for the Maxwell Award and the Davey O’Brien Award. The Maxwell is intended for college football’s overall player of the year, and the O’Brien is designated for the country’s best quarterback.
The 6-foot-4, 230-pound Newman is expected to start at quarterback for the Bulldogs in the coming season. He started his last 16 games with the Demon Deacons.
McKitty is up for the John Mackey Award, which goes annually to nation’s most outstanding tight end. McKitty (6-5, 245) comes to UGA from Florida State, where in played in 35 games the past three seasons.
Georgia defensive backs Richard LeCounte and Eric Stokes are nominated for several awards, including the Bednarik, Jim Thorpe and Bronko Nagurski. Stokes, a junior from Covington, also is nominated for the Wuerffel Trophy, which goes to a player who distinguishes himself athletically, academically and through community service.
What does it mean to be included on a watch list? Mainly, that UGA thinks enough of these players to nominate them for consideration. Being on a preseason watch list is not a requirement for winning the award. But it is a method for putting players on the radar of these independent selection committees.
Included on preseason watch lists from Georgia are:
- Junior P Jake Camarda: Ray Guy Award (best punter)
- Junior RB James Cook: Doak Walker Award (best running back)
- Junior C Trey Hill: Outland Trophy (outstanding interior lineman)
- Senior safety Richard LeCounte: Bednarik Award (defensive player of the year), Jim Thorpe (top defensive back), Bronko Nagurski (outstanding defensive player)
- Senior tight end Tre’ McKitty: John Mackey Award
- Senior quarterback Jamie Newman: Maxwell (outstanding overall player), Davey O’Brien (best QB)
- Sophomore OLB Azeez Ojulari: Butkus Award (best linebacker)
- Sophomore WR George Pickens: Biletnikoff Award (outstanding receiver)
- Senior ILB Monty Rice: Butkus, Nagurski
- Junior cornerback Eric Stokes: Bednarik, Thorpe Wuerffel Trophy (exemplary community service and athletic/academic achievement); Nagurski
- Sophomore RB Zamir White: Walker
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