Tide’s Lester On Thorpe Watch List

There are going to be precious few pre-season watch lists of the nation’s finest college football players that don’t include at least one member of Coach Nick Saban’s Alabama Crimson Tide. Another list is out today and as almost all of them, it includes a Bama star.

Alabama safety Robert Lester has been named to the 2012 Preseason Watch List for the Jim Thorpe Award, given to the best defensive back in college football. The list includes 35 of the top defensive backs in the country, representing 11 conferences.

The award is presented by the Jim Thorpe Association in Oklahoma City.

The watch list is chosen by a screening committee. The list is not final as players can be added during the season. The Thorpe Award winner is selected from three finalists and will be announced in Orlando on Dec. 6.

Lester, a 6-2, 210-pound senior from Foley, is a three-year letterman and two-year starter who has played on two national championship teams. He has 99 career tackles and 10 career pass interceptions.

Lester has previously been nominated for this year’s Bronko Nagurski Trophy and the Bednarik Award, both given to the nation’s best defensive player.