2012 Rimington Trophy Watch List: Alabama's Barrett Jones in Line for Hardware

The National College Football Award Awards Association released the watch list for the Rimington Trophy on Tuesday. The Rimington Trophy is awarded to the top center in Division 1-A.

SEC players led the way with 10 players from SEC schools making the list. Mississippi State's Dillon Day, Auburn's Reese Dismukes, Florida's Jonotthan Harrison, South Carolina's T.J. Johnson, Alabama's Barrett Jones, Texas A&M's Patrick Lewis, LSU's P.J. Lonergan, Kentucky's Matt Smith, Arkansas' Travis Swanson and Ole Miss' Evan Swindall are the SEC's representatives on the list.

Who should win?

Don't discount Lonergan making a case for himself; but the odds-on favorite is Barrett Jones from Alabama.

Jones' accolades during his career at Alabama are about as long as Homer's epic poems. He was a consensus All-American last season as a left tackle and earned the Outland Trophy given to the nation's top interior lineman.

He has been a starter on the Alabama offensive line ever since he stepped foot on campus, starting games at guard and tackle during his first three years on campus.

Jones is moving over to center full-time in 2012 to complete the offensive line trifecta. 

Considering Alabama's talent across the entire offensive line, Jones' transition will be as seamless as it possibly can be. Tackles Cyrus Kouandijo and D.J. Fluker and guards Anthony Steen and Chance Warmack will join Jones up front. 

Lonergan, Dismukes and Johnson may be in the discussion, but the versatility that Jones has shown during his three seasons makes him the SEC favorite to take home the Rimington Trophy.

He has the talent to be a star anywhere on the offensive line, and he will prove it —again—at center in 2012.