Rotary Lombardi Watch List: Ranking the 10 Best Candidates

The Rotary Lombardi Award is very interesting because it can be given to a variety of different players. The award was first introduced back in 1970, and is named after the legendary Vince Lombardi.

It is given to the best college football linemen or linebacker. As far as linemen are concerned, it can be on either side of the ball, as long as the player lines up within the first five yards of the ball.

With the amount of players that fall under this category, you can only imagine the amount of players that are eligible for this award. The watch-list has just been released, and it includes tons of talented players from every conference in the country.

With many players to choose from, here are the top 10 candidates for the 2012 Rotary Lombardi Award.

10. Tyler Eifert, Notre Dame

Tyler Eifert is arguably the best tight end in all of college football. He exploded onto the scene last year, hauling in 63 passes for 803 yards and five touchdowns.

Now that Malcolm Floyd is no longer on the roster, Eifert will be the top target on this Irish offense. He will be used in a variety of different ways and is expected to have another extremely productive season.

9. Jackson Jeffcoat, Texas

Jackson Jeffcoat was a second-team All-Big 12 selection last year, as he finished the year with 63 tackles, 17 tackles for loss and eight sacks. It was his first full season as a starter and seemed to get better the longer the season went on.

With a year of experience under his belt, Jeffcoat may just be getting started.

8. Kawann Short, Purdue

Kawann Short is a player you will see drafted very high in next year's NFL draft. Not only does he clog running lanes with his massive frame at 6'3", 310 pounds, but he is able to get into the backfield consistently.

He finished the year with 54 tackles, 17.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks.

He is the key for Purdue to continue to improve on the defensive side of the ball.

7. Corey Lemonier, Auburn

Auburn struggled on the defensive side of the ball last season, but don't give defensive end, Corey Lemonier, any of the blame.

As a sophomore, Lemonier was a first-team All-SEC, racking up 47 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks. At one point in the season, he recorded at least one sack in four straight games, a streak in which Auburn won three of those games. 

6. William Gholston, Michigan State

William Gholston is probably the best player from a defensive unit that finished the season ranked sixth in the country.

In his first season as a starter, Gholston earned All-Big Ten second team honors and finished second on the team with 16 tackles for loss. This is a scary player, who makes plays from sideline to sideline.

Expect another productive year from this Spartan.

5. Jadeveon Clowney, South Carolina

Jadeveon Clowney was the top recruit in the country coming out of the 2011 class. He did not disappoint as a true-freshman, totaling 36 tackles, 12 tackles for loss and eight sacks.

As a pass-rusher, it really does not get much better than Clowney, who should really take his game to new heights with his first season out of the way.

4. Manti Te’o, Notre Dame

Manti Te’o would have been a first round pick in last year's NFL draft, but decided to return to South Bend for his senior season.

He is a leader on and off the field for Notre Dame, and has led the team in tackles the last two seasons. Te'o is a two-time second-team All-American and one of the more consistent players in the entire country.

3. Barrett Jones, Alabama

Barrett Jones is the best offensive lineman in the country. He played right guard in 2009, left tackle last season and could end up playing the center position in 2012.

Last season, he won the Wuerffel Trophy, Outland Trophy and was a first-team All-SEC and a first-team All-American.

It really does not get much better than Jones as an offensive lineman. 

2. Sam Montgomery, LSU

It is truly unfair how fast defensive end Sam Montgomery is.

He gets off the ball extremely quick and is in the backfield within a blink of an eye. That's the reason he led this Tigers team in sacks with nine and was a first-team All-American, along with being first-team All-SEC.

It is extremely difficult for opposing offensive linemen to stay in front of this guy, which is why Montgomery is a good bet to win this award.

1. Jarvis Jones, Georgia

Last season, was Jarvis Jones's first year in the SEC, as he was a transfer from USC.

He wasted little time making a name for himself, finishing the year with 70 tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss, 13.5 sacks and a ridiculous 26 quarterback hurries. Jones was also a first-team All-American and first-team All-SEC.

If he is as productive as he was last season, the Georgia linebacker could end up winning many defensive awards this year.