Breaking Down SEC Contenders for 2012 Nagurski and Outland Award Watch List

Watch list season continued on Thursday, when the lists for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and the Outland Trophy were announced.

SEC players litter both watch lists. Who are some of the contenders for each award? Let's take a look.

Bronko Nagurski Trophy

The Bronko Nagurski Trophy is awarded annually to the best defensive player in college football. Because of that, it should come as no surprise that SEC players dominate the list. The SEC leads all conferences with 19 players named to the 84-player watch list, which is five more than second-place Big Ten.

Leading the SEC charge is Georgia linebacker Jarvis Jones. The rising junior passed up an opportunity to enter the NFL draft to return to Georgia and chase a championship.

The 6'3", 241-pounder is a monster off of the edge in defensive coordinator Todd Grantham's 3-4 system. He led the SEC last season with 13.5 sacks and is listed as a high-first-round pick in several 2013 NFL mock drafts.

When we are talking defense, of course Alabama and LSU will be well-represented. The Nagurski watch list abides.

Five Crimson Tide players—linebackers Nico Johnson and C.J. Mosley, defensive tackle Jesse Williams, cornerback Dee Milliner and safety Robert Lester–are listed. Meanwhile, four LSU players–defensive ends Sam Montgomery and Barkevious Mingo, safety Eric Reid and cornerback Tyrann Mathieu—make an appearance.

If you're a defensive starter on either of those teams, it's safe to say that you're a favorite by default.

Don't sleep on South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney. As a true freshman last season, he notched eight sacks, two shy of the South Carolina single-season record. He will move down from defensive end and play defensive tackle to create mismatches at times, so 2012 may be the year that he matches the recruiting hype from a couple of years ago.

The Outland Trophy

As is the case with the Nagurski watch list, the SEC also dominated the watch list for the Outland Trophy, which is awarded annually to the nation's top interior lineman. Out of the 71 players named to the watch list, 19 play for SEC teams—seven more than second-place Big Ten.

Who's the favorite? 

Simple: Alabama center Barrett Jones.

Jones won the award last season while primarily playing tackle, but he will make the shift down the line to play center this season for the Crimson Tide. He was a consensus first-team All-American last season, and he is looking to become the second player in history to win back-to-back Outland Trophies (Nebraska's Dave Rimington, 1981-82).

If it's not Jones, then who is the SEC favorite?

Instead of rattling off the rest of Alabama's starting line, of which three members are also on the watch list, let's go farther west and talk about LSU offensive lineman Alex Hurst. Hurst gets overlooked a bit, but the rising senior offensive tackle is a big reason why LSU's four-headed monster at running back as been so successful. 

Hurst was named to the coaches' first-team All-SEC team after last season, and he was recently named to the coaches' 2012 preseason All-SEC team. LSU gets five offensive linemen back that have been starters during their career, so don't be surprised if Hurst, Chris Faulk or someone else along that line emerges to win the Outland Trophy.

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