DALLAS – Washington State running back Nakia Watson was one of 74 players named to the preseason watch list for the Doak Walker Award, presented annually to the nation’s top college running back.

Watson, who transferred to WSU in 2021 after beginning his college career at Wisconsin, received an honorable mention on the 2022 All-Pac-12 list after rushing for 769 yards and nine scores on 144 carries and hauling in 30 passes for 295 yards and four touchdowns. His 13 total touchdowns were tied for fourth in the Pac-12 last season and the seventh-most in a single season in WSU history.

The PwC SMU Athletic Forum Board of Directors will name 10 semifinalists in November, and three finalists voted on by the Doak Walker Award Selection Committee will be announced in November.

Watson is one of 11 Pac-12 running backs to be named to the Doak Walker Award watch list, joining Oregon’s Bucky Irving and Noah Whittington; USC’s Austin Jones; Oregon State’s Damien Martinez; Colorado’s Alton McCaskill, Kavosiey Smoke and Sy’veon Wilkerson; California’s Jaydn Ott; Arizona State’s Cam Skattebo; UCLA’s Carson Steele; and Arizona’s Michal Wiley.

What standout players – locally or statewide – do you think are going to do well? Send us your thoughts by emailing [email protected] and put “sports stars” in the subject line.