Walter Camp Award Watch List 2014: Full List and Bleacher Report Favorites

The watch list for the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award, given annually to the top performer in college football, was released Friday afternoon.

"We are proud to continue the great work of Walter Camp and recognize the best college football players in the nation," said Walter Camp Football Foundation president James Monico, per the official release. "This watch list is a great start to what is shaping up to be another exciting year of college football."

The list consists of 50 players (33 offensive, 17 defensive), headlined by last year's winner, Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston. But this trophy, unlike some of the other major awards in college football (*cough* the Heisman), has been fairly accessible to other positions: Five of the last 12 winners did not play quarterback.

Winston will try to become the first back-to-back Walter Camp winner since Colt McCoy (Texas) in 2008-2009 and the second since Archie Griffin (Ohio State) in 1974-1975.

Here is his primary competition:

Player	Class	School	Conference
RB Ameer Abdullah	Senior	Nebraska	Big Ten
WR Nelson Agholor	Junior	USC	Pac-12
RB Jay Ajayi	Junior	Boise State	MWC
LB Chi Chi Ariguzo	Senior	Northwestern	Big Ten
DL Vic Beasley	Senior	Clemson	ACC
DL Shilique Calhoun	Junior	Michigan State	Big Ten
QB Shane Carden	Senior	East Carolina	AAC
QB Rakeem Cato	Senior	Marshall	C-USA
DB Landon Collins	Junior	Alabama	SEC
WR Amari Cooper	Junior	Alabama	SEC
WR Jamison Crowder	Senior	Duke	ACC
RB Mike Davis	Junior	South Carolina	SEC
WR Stefon Diggs	Junior	Maryland	Big Ten
DB Lorenzo Doss	Junior	Tulane	AAC
DB Ifo Ekpre-Olomu	Senior	Oregon	Pac-12
OL Cameron Erving	Senior	Florida State	ACC
DL Devonte Fields	Sophomore	TCU	Big 12
WR Devin Funchess	Junior	Michigan	Big Ten
QB Everett Golson	Senior	Notre Dame	Independent
RB Melvin Gordon	Junior	WIsconsin	Big Ten
QB Garrett Grayson	Senior	Colorado State	MWC
DL Randy Gregory	Junior	Nebraska	Big Ten
RB Todd Gurley	Junior	Georgia	SEC
DB Vernon Hargreaves III	Sophomore	Florida	SEC
DB Anthony Harris	Senior	Virginia	ACC
DL Brock Hekking	Senior	Nevada	MWC
WR Austin Hill	Senior	Arizona	Pac-12
QB Taysom Hill	Junior	BYU	Independent
QB Brett Hundley	Junior	UCLA	Pac-12
LB Myles Jack	Sophomore	UCLA	Pac-12
RB Duke Johnson	Junior	Miami	ACC
QB Matt Johnson	Junior	Bowling Green	MAC
QB Taylor Kelly	Senior	Arizona State	Pac-12
QB Trevor Knight	Sophomore	Oklahoma	Big 12
LB Qushaun Lee	Senior	Arkansas State	Sun Belt
WR Tyler Lockett	Senior	Kansas State	Big 12
QB Sean Mannion	Senior	Oregon State	Pac-12
QB Marcus Mariota	Junior	Oregon	Pac-12
QB Nick Marshall	Senior	Auburn	SEC
QB Braxton Miller	Senior	Ohio State	Big Ten
WR Ty Montgomery	Senior	Stanford	Pac-12
OL Andrus Peat	Junior	Stanford	Pac-12
QB Bryce Petty	Senior	Baylor	Big 12
LB Terrance Plummer	Senior	UCF	AAC
DB Cody Prewitt	Senior	Ole Miss	SEC
QB Keenan Reynolds	Junior	Navy	Independent
DB Derron Smith	Senior	Fresno State	MWC
LB Ramik Wilson	Senior	Georgia	SEC
QB Jameis Winston	Sophomore	Florida State	ACC
RB T.J. Yeldon	Junior	Alabama	SEC

Of those 50 preseason candidates, here are five who stick out as favorites, along with some other names to keep an eye on.

QB Jameis Winston, Florida State

Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press

Obviously.

Winston led the nation in quarterback rating (by a substantial margin) last season and still hasn't lost a game as a starter. He was cited for stealing crab legs from a supermarket this offseason, which did not curry favor with the general public, but once the season starts and Winston gets back on the field he should (hopefully) be able to keep his head down and get back to doing what he does best: winning.

RB Todd Gurley, Georgia

USA TODAY Sports

Georgia has a first-time starter at quarterback and a defense that should be better against the run (its front seven is loaded) than the pass (its secondary is…not). Its best game plan will be running the ball, controlling the clock and making teams earn every inch—on both sides of the line. Todd Gurley is the most gifted skill-position player in America, and if he stays healthy he is perfectly suited to take advantage of that system and post Walter Camp-type numbers.

QB Marcus Mariota, Oregon

Eric Gay/Associated Press

Marcus Mariota was a Heisman candidate—if not the downright Heisman front-runner—at the halfway point of last season. But a blown-out knee hindered his production, and losses to Stanford and Arizona effectively ended his bid for the major awards. He's back for his redshirt junior season, though, and a quarterback doesn't turn down the money from a likely first-round NFL draft pick unless he has some unfinished business. Winning the Walter Camp is part of that.

QB Braxton Miller, Ohio State

Andy Lyons/Getty Images

It feels weird to say this, but given how they ended last season, the Buckeyes might sneak up on some people. A big reason for that is the return of Braxton Miller, the two-time reigning Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year who forewent the NFL draft to play his senior year in Columbus. With Carlos Hyde gone, an even bigger offensive onus will fall on Miller's shoulders—something that seems absurd given his usage rate the past two seasons. If Ohio State makes the College Football Playoff, Miller will have a legitimate shot at this trophy.

RB Melvin Gordon, Wisconsin

Mike McGinnis/Getty Images

Wisconsin's normally run-heavy system might get even run-heavier this season. Questions under center and (especially) at receiver exist more than ever, but the offensive line should remain great, and Melvin Gordon is finally the No. 1 option. If he keeps up his per-carry pace from 2013, Gordon would turn 250 carries into 1,950 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns. There are sure to be some highlight-worthy plays in there as well. That would make for a compelling case.

Other Names to Watch: RB Ameer Abdullah (Nebraska), RB Mike Davis (South Carolina) WR Tyler Lockett (Kansas State), QB Nick Marshall (Auburn), QB Bryce Petty (Baylor)

Follow Brian Leigh on Twitter: @BleighDAT