C.J. Wilson On Thorpe Award List
8/3/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 3, 2006
Baylor senior cornerback C.J. Wilson was one of 33 players named to the 2006 Jim Thorpe Award Watch List released today by the Jim Thorpe Association. He was one of four Big 12 players selected to the list, joining Texas' Michael Griffin, Missouri's David Overstreet and Oklahoma's Reggie Smith.
The 2006 watch list was derived through a point system based on 10 pre-season All-American teams. The only player to be named a first team All-American on all 10 lists was Miami, Fla., strong safety Brandon Meriweather. Other top point getters were LSU free safety LaRon Landry, Texas strong safety Griffin, Michigan cornerback Leon Hall and Cal cornerback Dameion Hughes.
Wilson, who earned 2005 first-team All-Big 12 honors from six media outlets, recorded 45 tackles (33 solos) as a junior to rank seventh on the squad. He recorded a team-high five interceptions and had five pass breakups to rank No. 3 on the team. Wilson also shared the 2005 Big 12 lead and ranked T-No. 9 nationally with five interceptions on the season and needs just five picks in his final season as a Bear to crack the school's all-time list.
Ranked as the nation's 11th-best cornerback by Lindy's and No. 12 by The Sporting News, Wilson was also selected to the Football Writers Association of America Preseason All-America Checklist. He was rated as the Big 12's fastest defensive back by The Sporting News and the league's best coverman by Lindy's. Wilson earned preseason first-team All-Big 12 honors from Blue Ribbon and Lindy's, second-team recognition from Huskers Illustrated and The Sporting News and third-team from Athlon.
The Thorpe Award, presented annually to the nation's best college defensive back, is one of college football's most sought after and prestigious awards. It is named after history's greatest all-around athlete, a man who excelled as a running back, passer and kicker on offense, but also was an awesome defensive back. Recognized in the Pro Football Hall of Fame simply as "The Legend," Thorpe also played professional baseball and won Olympic gold medals in both the decathlon and pentathlon.
The watch list will be narrowed to 10 semi-finalists the first Monday in November and then to three finalists the Monday before Thanksgiving. The winner will be announced on ESPN's College Football Awards Show, telecast from Disney World on December 7. The official presentation of the award will be in Oklahoma City on February 7.
Wilson and the rest of the Bears in fall camp will hold their first practice of fall camp on Aug. 4 at 6 p.m. on the grass fields at Floyd Casey Stadium.
| Name | Class | Pos. |
| Fred Bennett, South Carolina | Sr | CB |
| Joe Burnett, UCF | So | CB |
| Bobby Blackshire, Tulsa | Sr | FS |
| Antoine Cason, Arizona | Jr | CB |
| Zach Cantanese, Arizona State | Sr | S |
| Marquice Cole, Northwestern | Sr | CB |
| Joe Garcia, Nevada | Sr | CB |
| Josh Gattis, Wake Forest | Sr | FS |
| Nick Graham, Tulsa | Sr | CB |
| Michael Griffin, Texas | Sr | SS |
| Leon Hall, Michigan | Sr | CB |
| Marcus Hamilton, Virginia | Sr | CB |
| Daymeion Hughes, California | Sr | CB |
| David Irons, Auburn | Sr | CB |
| LaRon Landry, LSU | Sr | FS |
| Marcus McCanley, Fresno State | Sr | CB |
| Brandon Meriweather, Miami, Fla. | Sr | SS |
| J.D. Nelson, Oregon | Sr | FS |
| David Overstreet, Missouri | Sr | FS |
| Sabby Piscitelli, Oregon State | Sr | SS |
| Kenny Phillips, Miami, Fla. | So | SS |
| Darrelle Revis, Pittsburgh | Jr | CB |
| Anthony Reddick Miami, Fla. | Jr | FS |
| Roderick Rogers, Wisconsin | Sr | FS |
| Reggie Smith, Oklahoma | So | CB |
| Wesley Smith, Memphis | Sr | FS |
| John Talley, Duke | Sr | CB |
| Eric Weddle, Utah | Sr | SS |
| John Wending, Wyoming | Sr | FS |
| Eric Wicks, West Virginia | Sr | SS |
| C.J. Wilson, Baylor | Sr | CB |
| Tom Zbikowski, Notre Dame | Jr | SS |
