Maxwell Award 2011: Analysis of the Maxwell Award Semifinalists List

The list of Maxwell Award Semifinalists was released today and the award goes to the most outstanding player in college football. Auburn's Cam Newton won the award last year. The list can be seen below in alphabetical order by last name.

Matt Barkley, USC

Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma State

Tajh Boyd, Clemson

Ryan Broyles, Oklahoma

Robert Griffin III, Baylor

LaMichael James, Oregon

Landry Jones, Oklahoma

Case Keenum, Houston

Andrew Luck, Stanford

Kellen Moore, Boise State

Chris Polk, Washington

Trent Richardson, Alabama

Brandon Weeden, Oklahoma State

Russell Wilson, Wisconsin

David Wilson, Virginia Tech

Robert Woods, USC

There are 10 quarterbacks, three running backs and three wide receivers on the list. Also, everyone on the list is on a ranked team except for Robert Griffin III who's Baylor Bears were ranked earlier this season as were Chris Polk’s Huskies and Robert Woods who’s Trojans can’t be ranked in the BCS Poll due to NCAA sanctions.

Only Case Keenum and Kellen Moore are from schools in non-automatic qualifying conferences.

There were also no defensive players on the list.

None of the players on this list are bad by any stretch of the imagination and most will go on to have fruitful NFL careers but there are some notable omissions.

The first major name to be left off the list is Clemson’s Sammy Watkins. He may be a true freshman but he has been one of the most electrifying players in all of college football. He is only averaging 108 receiving yards per game—Broyles has 133, Woods has 123 and Blackmon has 104—but he also has 145 rushing yards, 558 kickoff return yards and a kickoff return for a touchdown.

The big name left off was Denard Robinson. He may not have the same numbers as he did last year but for the first two games, Michigan was a running a different system that didn’t cater to his style of play. And he still has 779 yards rushing for a 111 yards per game average.

The most surprising player to be included on the list has to be either Chris Polk or David Wilson but both players rank in the Top 5 in the country in rushing yards and Wilson only has one game all season in which he rushed for less than 123 yards.

Think someone got left off? Wondering why a player made it on the list? Post a comment about it below.