BATON ROUGE — The preseason recognition for LSU’s nationally-ranked football team continues to roll in as junior free safety LaRon Landry has been named to the watch list for the Jim Thorpe Award, the Jim Thorpe Association announced on Friday.
Landry, a second team All-Southeastern Conference selection in 2004, is one of 37 players from across the country named to the Thorpe Award watch list. The Thorpe Award is presented annually to college football’s top defensive back.
Landry, a two-year starter in the secondary for the Tigers, has led LSU in tackles in each of his first two seasons on the team. In 2003, Landry earned first-team Freshman All-America honors after recording 80 tackles and three sacks in helping LSU to the BCS National Title.
Last year, Landry recorded 92 tackles, including three sacks, to go with a team-best four interceptions for the 9-3 Tigers.
In two years with the Tigers, Landry has played in 26 games with 22 starts and he’s registered 172 tackles, 8.5 tackles for losses, six sacks and six interceptions.
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 8. The official presentation of the award will be in Oklahoma City on February 7.
The watch list is derived through a point system based on All-American teams and Honorable Mentions published in at least six pre-season football magazines. A candidate must be listed as as a third-team All-American in at least one publication or as a fourth team or honorable mention in at least three of these publications.
JIM THORPE AWARD 2005 PRE-SEASON “WATCH LIST”
| Name | Class | Team | Pos. | Ht. | Weight |
| Muhammad Abdullah | Sr | Kentucky | S | 6-0 | 205 |
| Jahmile Addae | Sr | West Virginia | S | 6-0 | 205 |
| Jason Allen | Sr | Tennessee | S | 6-2 | 202 |
| Jaxson Appel | Sr | Texas A&M | S | 6-0 | 198 |
| Darnell Bing | Jr | USC | S | 6-2 | 220 |
| Will Blackmon | Sr | Boston College | CB | 6-0 | 202 |
| Greg Blue | Sr | Georgia | S | 6-2 | 214 |
| Darrell Brooks | Sr | Arizona | S | 6-1 | 210 |
| Daniel Bullocks | Sr | Nebraska | S | 6-2 | 210 |
| Antoine Cason | So | Arizona | CB | 6-1 | 180 |
| Antonio Cromartie | Jr | Florida State | CB | 6-3 | 202 |
| John Eubanks | Sr | Southern Miss | CB | 5-11 | 177 |
| Gabriel Fulbright | Sr | New Mexico | CB | 5-10 | 170 |
| Charles Gordon | Jr | Kansas | CB | 5-9 | 177 |
| Cedric Griffin | Sr | Texas | CB | 6-2 | 193 |
| Roman Harper | Sr | Alabama | S | 6-1 | 197 |
| Michael Huff | Sr | Texas | CB | 6-1 | 205 |
| Darrell Hunter | Sr | Miami (Ohio) | CB | 6-1 | 213 |
| Kelly Jennings | Sr | Miami (Fla) | CB | 6-0 | 178 |
| LaRon Landry | Jr | LSU | S | 6-2 | 187 |
| Maurice Lane | Sr | Baylor | S | 5-11 | 190 |
| Mike Lorello | Sr | West Virginia | S | 6-1 | 200 |
| Donnie McClesky | Sr | California | S | 5-10 | 195 |
| Jarrad Page | Sr | UCLA | S | 6-2 | 220 |
| Charlie Peprah | Sr | Alabama | S | 5-11 | 193 |
| Bernard Pollard | Jr | Purdue | S | 6-2 | 226 |
| Nate Salley | Sr | Ohio State | S | 6-3 | 215 |
| Ko Simpson | So | So. Carolina | S | 6-1 | 199 |
| Anthony Smith | Sr | Syracuse | S | 6-1 | 187 |
| Wesley Smith | Sr | Memphis | S | 6-1 | 194 |
| Greg Threat | Sr | Miami (Fla) | S | 6-1 | 196 |
| Pat Watkins | Sr | Florida State | S | 6-4 | 195 |
| Eric Weddle | Jr | Utah | S | 6-0 | 200 |
| Ashton Youboty | Jr | Ohio State | CB | 6-1 | 188 |
| Jimmy Williams | Sr | Virginia Tech | CB | 6-3 | 206 |
| Alan Zemaitis | Sr | Penn St. | CB | 6-2 | 189 |