A.J. Green, Calvin Bundage Find Their Way Onto Preseason Watch Lists

A handful of Cowboys from the offensive side of the ball have already been included on a number of preseason watch lists in Tylan Wallace, Chuba Hubbard and Johnny Wilson. Now a pair of Poke defenders have also joined the festivities of #WatchListSZN.

Senior cornerback A.J. Green was included as part of the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award watch list which was released on Monday. The award is presented by the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame to the best defensive back in college football and is named after famous Oklahoman Jim Thorpe, considered to be the greatest all-around athlete in United States history.

Green comes into his final year with 26 consecutive starts under his belt. He earned second-team All-Big 12 honors last season after providing several highlight reel plays and leading OSU with 11 pass breakups.

Green joins Texas’ Caden Sterns, TCU’s Jeff Gladney and Iowa State’s Greg Eisworth as included DBs from the Big 12. The winner will be announced on Dec. 12 at The Home Depot College Football Awards.

Calvin Bundage is a preseason candidate for the Butkus Award, given to college football’s top linebacker.

The enigmatic head hunter was stymied some by injury last season but still finished fourth on the team in tackles, fifth in tackles for loss and record 1.5 sacks in 11 games. He was voted as an All-Big 12 honorable mention by the league’s coaches.

Other LBs from the Big 12 listed were Oklahoma’s Kenneth Murray, Texas Tech’s Jordyn Brooks and Baylor’s Clay Johnston. Semifinalists will be named on Nov. 4, before the list is trimmed further when finalists will be announced Nov. 25. The winner will be announced Dec. 10.