Wisconsin Badgers senior cornerback Antonio Fenelus has been selected to the Jim Thorpe Preseason Watch List, an award honoring the nation’s top defensive back.
Fenelus is among 37 other players, including three more from the Big Ten.
In 2010, Fenelus earned All-Big Ten honors and led the Badgers in interceptions and passes defended. He started all 13 games for the Badgers.
During his junior campaign, Fenelus was honored with two co-defensive player of the week awards. One came on the heels of recording nine tackles, an interception and a touchdown versus Purdue on November 6th.
Wisconsin projects to have a strong secondary in 2011 as Fenelus joins fellow seniors Devin Smith and Aaron Henry who are also returning starters.
The Badgers open the season in a rare Thursday game at Camp Randall against UNLV on September 1st. The game will be nationally televised on ESPN and is slated to start at 7:00 PM CT.
Fellow Big Ten players to also make the list are as follows:
Alfonzo Dennard, Nebraska, CB
Brian Peters, Northwestern, FS
Trenton Robinson, Michigan State, FS
A player can be added to this list as the season progresses, depending on performance.
Fenelus becomes the fifth Badger to make a preseason watch list in 2011. It all started with Monte Ball, James White and Russell Wilson becoming candidates for the Maxwell Award followed by Kevin Zeitler making the Outland Trophy Watch List.
The Jim Thorpe Award celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2011. The annual honor is named for great all-around athlete Jim Thorpe, who not only excelled as a two-way player on the gridiron but also played professional baseball and was an Olympic gold medalist in the decathlon.
The Thorpe Award winner will be selected from a pool of three finalists at The Home Depot College Football Awards Show on Dec. 8. The 25th Anniversary Jim Thorpe Award Banquet is set for Feb. 7, 2012, in Oklahoma City.
Check out the Full Jim Thorpe Preseason Watch List Here!
What do you think of Antonio Fenelus’ play? Can he win this award and is he the kind of player who will suit it up on Sundays? Let me know by commenting below!
Nick Grays is a senior writer at the Sports Bank where he covers the Wisconsin Badgers, Green Bay Packers, and Milwaukee Brewers. He also enjoys to share Fantasy Advice from time-to-time. Follow him on Twitter by clicking here or visit his blog Nick Knows Best.