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Lesser known watch lists the Broncos should keep an eye on

By Drew Roberts
Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Boise State senior linebacker Tanner Vallejo was named to the Butkus Award watch list today—a nice compliment to the Nagurski watch list recognition he received on Friday. The Nagurski Award is the broader of the two, awarded annually to the "collegiate American football player adjudged to be the best defensively in the NCAA" (really, 'best defender' would have sufficed) and the Butkus Award, as you've probably guessed, is awarded to the best player at the position of its namesake—linebacker. With Thomas Sperbeck expected to land on the Biletnikoff watch list tomorrow and the Broncos already having players also on the Maxwell, Groza, and Mackey lists, I wondered who else might land on watch lists this summer. Below are my best guesses for the remaining watch lists:

The McGinty-Hughes Award (awarded annually to best player with hyphenated last name in the NCAA)
Dylan Sumner-Gardner, S

The Gregor Clegane Award (awarded annually to transfer player 6'7" in height or above)
Will Adams, OT
Dan Urquhart, OT

The Reggie Mantle Award (awarded annually to college football player named "Archie")
Archie Lewis, OT

The Bobbsy Award (awarded annually to college player with an identical twin)
Kaleb Hill, DE

The Beef Wellington Award (awarded annually to top defensive player from Great Britain)
Elliot Hoyte, DT

The Howitzer Award (awarded annually to best offensive player with a weapons-based nickname)
Jeremy "The Weapon" McNichols, RB
Akilian "The Shiv" Butler, WR
Cory "Winchester Model 1873" Young, RB

The Forever Alone Award (awarded annually to top special teams performer that constantly gets left hanging)
Tyler Rausa, K

The Brett Rypien Award (awarded annually to player named "Brett Rypien")
Brett Rypien, QB
Thomas Stuart, QB

The Marlin Perkins Award (awarded annually to a walk-on with a African serengeti-based nickname)
Leighton "Baby Giraffe" Vander Esch