Oregon’s Charles Nelson, Pitt’s Quadree Henderson, N.C.’s T.J. Logan lead way
By John P. Lopez
Through one month of the 2016 college football season, the twists and turns already have been many.
Twists and turns also is a good way to describe the established stars and upstart newcomers juking their way onto the latest Dante Hall Award watch list. The award, which benefits Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston, will recognize college football’s best player who stands under 6-feet tall and contributes offensively and on special teams.
Oregon’s Charles Nelson and Pitt’s Quadree Henderson — the nation’s top two players in combined return yardage through four games — lead the way, but among the 38 players on the latest watch list are an array of big-playmakers.
Rutgers’ Janarian Grant already has returned a punt and kickoff for touchdowns, as well as scoring three times as a rusher while carrying an 8.6-yard per-carry average. North Carolina’s T.J. Logan has been a hugely explosive player, already scoring rushing, receiving and return TDs.
The newest additions to the watch list arrived with a bang, to say the least. UH freshman D’Eriq King scored via passing, rushing and kickoff return in the Coogs’ win over Texas State on Saturday. And TCU’s Desmon White, who stepped in for the injured Kavontae Turpin, earned Big 12 special teams player of the week honors, after averaging 24.7-yards on three returns and adding six receptions.
Here is the entire watch list through four weeks of the season:
William Likely 5-7, 175 Maryland
Desmon White 5-7, 160 TCU
Christian Kirk 5-11, 200 Texas A&M
Donnel Pumphrey 5-9, 170 San Diego State
Charles Nelson 5-8, 170 Oregon
John Ross III 5-11, 196 Washington
Janarion Grant 5-11, 170 Rutgers
Tim White 5-11, 185 Arizona State
De’Mornay Pierson-El 5-9, 185 Nebraska
Kade Harrington 5-9, 192 Lamar
Speedy Noil 5-11, 200 Texas A&M
T.J. Logan 5-10, 190 North Carolina
Kermit Whitfield 5-8, 182 Florida State
Dontre Wilson 5-10, 195 Ohio State
Isaiah McKenzie 5-8, 164 Georgia
Tyrell Johnson 5-7, 165 Arizona
Jesus Wilson 5-11, 176 Florida State
Cameron Batson 5-9, 175 Texas Tech
Kendrick Foster 5-9, 200 Illinois
Brandon Powell 5-9, 184 Florida
Myles Willis 5-9, 194 Boston College
Brandon Holloway 5-8, 165 Mississippi State
Riley McCarron 5-9, 186 Iowa
Saquon Barkley 5-11, 223 Penn State
Victor Bolden Jr. 5-9, 172 Oregon State
A.J. Turner 5-10, 195 South Carolina
Ray-Ray McCloud III 5-10, 175 Clemson
C.J. Sanders 5-8, 185 Notre Dame
Carlos Henderson 5-11, 191 Louisiana Tech
Quadree Henderson 5-8, 190 Pitt
Jalen McCleskey 5-10, 170 Oklahoma State
Khalfani Muhammad 5-8, 174 Cal
Kylen Towner 5-8, 175 Western Kentucky
Sean Riley 5-8, 151 Syracuse
LaQuvionte Gonzalez 5-10, 176 Kansas
Shaun Wilson 5-9, 180 Duke
Adoree Jackson 5-11, 185 Southern California
D’Eriq King 5-10, 2170 Houston
