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SALT LAKE CITY — Utah running back Zack Moss and two players on the defensive side of the ball were named to prestigious preseason watchlists Monday, opening up a two week deluge of college football award watchlists.
Moss, who returned for his senior season at Utah after getting serious interest from the NFL, was named to the Maxwell Award watchlist, which is awarded to the college football Player of the Year at the end of the 2019 season. Moss was one of 10 athletes from the Pac-12 and one of 80 players nationally named to the watchlist.
The Florida native is expected to break several all-time rushing records at Utah this season. Moss, who has 2,651 career rushing yards, only needs 569 yards to break the school record. He averages 5.6 yards per carry over the life of his career, and averaged 6.1 yards his junior season before suffering a season-ending injury.
Joining Moss on the preseason watchlists is defensive end Bradlee Anae and cornerback Jaylon Johnson on the Bednarik Award. The award is given to the college Defensive Player of the Year.
The two leading defenders for Utah are two of 10 players from the Pac-12 and two of 80 players nationally named to the watchlist.
Anae is considered one of the top defensive ends in the Pac-12 and recorded 51 total tackles and eight sacks last season. He returns to a defensive line that wreaked havoc on opposing offenses and will likely continue with more experience and depth.
Johnson, too, is considered a top defensive athlete in the Pac-12. In just two seasons, Johnson has been a lockdown corner and has recorded 66 total tackles and five interceptions — four in his sophomore season, including a 100-yard return against Stanford — in two seasons at Utah.
Moss, Anae and Johnson were all named to Sports Illustrated’s Top 100 players list published last week. They, along with defensive lineman Leki Fotu, lead the Pac-12 in number of athletes named from one school.
Other players from the state of Utah named to the Maxwell and Bednarik award watchlists include BYU’s Zach Wilson, and Utah State’s Jordan Love, Tipa Galeai and David Woodward.
A full list of the award watchlists can be viewed on the Maxwell Football Club website.
Other people from the Pac-12:
— Josh Furlong (@JFurKSL) July 15, 2019
Maxwell:
- Eno Benjamin (ASU)
- KJ Costello (Stanford)
- JT Daniels (USC)
- Jacob Eason (Washington)
- Justin Herbert (Oregon)
- Steven Montez (Colorado)
- Laviska Shenault (Colorado)
- Khalil Tate (Arizona)
- JJ Taylor (Arizona)
