Carson Beck, Malaki Starks among 50 on Walter Camp watch list
A pair of Bulldogs were included on the watch list released Monday for the Walter Camp Player of the Year, given annually to College Football’s best overall player. Georgia quarterback Carson Beck and defensive back Malaki Starks both found their names among the 50 players in total with Starks being among the nine included on the defensive side of the ball.
Beck, a senior out of Mandarin (Jacksonville, Fla.), is entering his second season as the UGA starter at quarterback. After winning the job during preseason camp ahead of the 2023 campaign, Beck finished third nationally and first in the SEC in passing yards with 3,941 on a school-record 72.4% completion rate. He was a finalist for the Manning Award and was named to the All-SEC Second Team by the league’s 14 head coaches.
Meanwhile, Starks, enters 2024 with 28 career starts, five interceptions and a total of 120 tackles. He was a finalist for both the Nagurski Trophy and the Thorpe Award last season and should be considered among the favorite for both when they are handed out in December as a third-year starter and one of the best defensive players in all of College Football regardless of position.
The duo is the latest of a growing list of players to receive some sort of preseason recognition. After 15 Georgia players made an All-SEC squad, a total of 10 so far have found their name on a watch list.
QB Carson Beck – Maxwell Award, Walter Camp Award
RB Trevor Etienne – Maxwell Award, Paul Hornung Award
OL Dylan Fairchild – Outland Trophy
OL Tate Ratledge – Outland Trophy
OL Xavier Truss – Outland Trophy
DL Nazir Stackhouse – Outland Trophy
DL Mykel Williams – Nagurski Trophy
LB Smael Mondon – Nagurski Trophy
DB Daylen Everette – Thorpe Award
DB Malaki Starks – Nagurski Trophy, Thorpe Award, Walker Camp Award
P Brett Thorson – Ray Guy Award
K Peyton Woodring – Lou Groza Award
Georgia kicks off its 2024 season on August 31st against Clemson with a battle between ACC and SEC favorites in Atlanta. The Bulldogs and Tigers were both included in the preseason top-15 of the Coaches Poll released on Monday, and the two programs claim four of the last eight national titles.
UPCOMING WATCH LIST ANNOUNCEMENTS
Tue., Aug. 6: Doak Walker Award
Wed., Aug. 7: Biletnikoff Award
Thu., Aug. 8: Davey O’Brien Award
Fri., Aug. 9: Mackey Award/Rimington Trophy
Mon., Aug. 12: Bednarik Award
Tue., Aug. 13: Butkus Award
