Watch list season is officially upon us. Most of college football's individual awards will be releasing preseason watch lists throughout the next two weeks, beginning today with the Maxwell Football Club awards and wrapping up July 19 with the Walter Camp Award watch list.
The Maxwell Award, named in honor Robert W. "Tiny" Maxwell, has been given annually to the player of the year in college football since 1937. Last year, Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o made history as the first player to win both the Maxwell Award and the Bednarik Award, given to the nation's best defensive player by the Maxwell Football Club.
If you're looking for early favorites for the 2013 award, look no further than the returning semifinalists from a year ago -- Clemson quarterback Tajh Boyd, USC wide receiver Marqise Lee, Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel, Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron, Ohio State quarterback Braxton Miller and Oregon running back De'Anthony Thomas were all Maxwell Award semifinalists in 2012.
The 2013 Maxwell Award watch list is the first to include three offensive lineman -- Michigan tackle Taylor Lewan, Texas A&M tackle Jake Matthews and Stanford guard David Yankey -- and also highlights six defensive players.
Check out the full list below. Remember, names can be added or removed from this list during the first weeks of the season. So there are no official "snubs" quite yet.
(NOTE: Ohio State quarterback Braxton Miller is a member of the 2013 watch list, though his name was initially omitted no the list from the Maxwell Football Club below)
