LSU tackles Will Campbell, Emery Jones named to preseason Outland Trophy Watch List – Crescent City Sports

BATON ROUGE – LSU’s Will Campbell and Emery Jones, the top offensive tackle duo in college football, have been named to the preseason watch list for the Outland Trophy, the Football Writers Association of America announced Tuesday.

The Outland Trophy, 79 years since its inception, is the third-oldest major college football award and honors the best interior lineman on both sides of the ball. Former Tiger Glenn Dorsey won the Outland Trophy in 2007.

Campbell and Jones are the cornerstones of one of the nation’s best offensive lines. Last year, the duo helped pave the way for record-breaking performances from Heisman Trophy quarterback Jayden Daniels and the LSU offense.

Both juniors, Campbell and Perkins, have started a combined 24 games on the offensive line and LSU is 18-6 in those games. In those 24 starts, LSU has averaged 38 points and 482.8 total yards.

Highlights for the LSU duo include helping Daniels set an SEC record with 606 total yards of offense in the 2023 win over Florida; LSU racking up 701 total yards in the win over the Gators — the most yards ever by a Florida defense; and Daniels setting the SEC record for total offense in a season with 412.2 yards per game.

Last year, LSU’s offensive line, anchored by Campbell and Jones, was named one of three finalists for the Joe Moore Award. The Tiger offensive line played a major role in LSU being the only FBS team to finish in the nation’s Top 10 in both rushing and passing yards per game last season.

Born in Monroe, Louisiana, Campbell attended Neville High School. He has started 26 games and earned a spot on the All-SEC first team in 2023. As a freshman in 2022, Campbell earned a spot on the All-SEC second team and was also selected as a Freshman All-America.

Walter Camp named him All-America during the preseason.

He played every offensive snap in 15 of 17 games against SEC opponents and the Tigers averaged 39.8 points and 496.6 total yards with Campbell in the lineup.

Jones, a product of Catholic High School in Baton Rouge, took over as the starter at right tackle in Week 3 of the 2022 season and has missed just one game since entering the lineup. He has played every offensive snap in 16 of the 17 SEC games in which he has appeared.

In 2023, he was named to the All-SEC second team after earning Freshman All-SEC honors as a rookie in 2022.

Below is a list of all preseason awards, along with the watchlist release date:

Release Date Price LSU Players Represented
July 29 Maxwell Award QB Garrett Nussmeier, WR Kyren Lacy
July 29 Patrick Mannelly Award LS Slade Roy
July 30 Nagurski Trophy LB Harold Perkins
July 30 Outland Award OT Will Campbell, OT Emery Jones
July 31 Thorpe Award for best defensive back in the country
August 1 Hornung Award for the most versatile player in the country
August 1 Wuerffel Trophy National Award for Community Service
August 2 Lou Groza Award Nation’s Top Placekicker
Ray Guy Award for best punter in the country
August 5 Walter Camp Award for the most outstanding player in the country
August 6 Doak Walker Award for best running back in the country
August 7 Biletnikoff Award Nation’s Outstanding Receiver (Regardless of Position)
August 8 Davey O’Brien Award for best quarterback in the country
August 9 Mackey Award for the nation’s most outstanding tight end
August 9 Rimington Trophy Best center in the country
August 12 Bednarik Award College Defensive Player of the Year
August 13 Butkus Award for best linebacker in the country