Five Baylor football players, Kyle Fuller, Shock Linwood, Ryan Reid, Seth Russell and Orion Stewart, were named to the watch list for the 2017 Senior Bowl, bowl officials announced Tuesday.
Last season, Fuller was the starting center in all 13 games as a junior and earned All-Big 12 honors. He anchored an offensive line that paved the way for the nation’s No. 2-ranked rushing offense (326.7 ypg) and led the Big 12 with 1.15 average sacks allowed. The Wylie, Texas, product averaged an 88.9 percent coaches grade and totaled 51 knockdowns on the season. Fuller has also garnered a place on the Rimington and Outland Trophy watch lists in 2016.
Linwood was the starting running back for the Bears in the first 12 games of the 2015 season, before missing the bowl game due to injury. In his junior campaign, Linwood totaled 1,329 yards and 10 TDs on 196 carries and added 71 yards and a TD on nine receptions. He earned second-team All-Big 12 honors and ranked seventh nationally and second in the Big 12 with 6.78 yards per carry. The Linden, Texas, native was also ranked 20th nationally and fourth in the conference with 110.8 yards per game. The senior running back has already been on the Doak Walker Award, Maxwell Award and the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award watch lists this fall.
Reid played in all 13 games last season and was the starting cornerback in 12 as a junior. He ranked eighth in the Big 12 in both interceptions per game (0.23) and passes defensed per game (0.85). The Dallas, Texas, native totaled 28 tackles (21 solo, one for loss), three interceptions (-1 yard), eight PBUs and one blocked kick in 2015. The fifth-year senior cornerback has 24 career starts and 32 career games played entering the 2016 season. Reid is currently tied for ninth on BU's all-time career PBU listing with 26.
Last season, Russell was the starting quarterback for BU through the first seven games before suffering a season-ending injury. Russell racked up 2,104 yards, 29 TDs and six picks on 119-200 passing and 402 yards and six TDs on 49 rushes. He was named honorable mention All-Big 12 by the league coaches and a semifinalist for the Davey O’Brien Award. The product of Garland, Texas, broke the single-season school record with 10.06 total offense yards per play. The honor adds to the senior QB's long list of preseason accolades that includes being named to watch lists for the Maxwell Award, Wuerffel Trophy, Davey O’Brien Award, Walter Camp Award, Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, Manning Award and the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award this fall.
Stewart, a fifth-year senior and two-time All-Big 12 safety has played 36 career games and made 23 starts entering the 2016 season. He currently is the team leader in career tackles (185) and career interceptions (six). Last season, the Waco, Texas, product was the starting safety in nine games. He was named honorable mention All-Big 12 by league coaches and totaled 64 tackles (50 solo, 1.5 for loss), one sack (11 yards), one interception (24 yards), three PBUs, two QB hurries, two fumbles recovered and, one forced fumble on season.
The five players are vying for 110 roster spots at the 2017 Reese’s Senior Bowl. The game will take place on Jan. 28, 2017 in Mobile, Ala., at 1:30 p.m. CT at Ladd-Peebles Stadium on the NFL Network.
The Senior Bowl is the nation's most unique football game and football's premier senior showcase event. It annually features the country's best senior collegiate football players and top NFL draft prospects on teams representing the North and South that are coached by the entire coaching staffs of two NFL teams.
Last season, Baylor had six players on the watch list and four went on to represent the Bears in the game.
