David Amerson is going to be a top 15 pick in the 2013 NFL Draft if the projections from Mel Kiper and Todd McShay are anywhere near the vicinity of reality at this point, and after a record-breaking season in 2011, Amerson is also going to figure prominently on several preseason college football award watch lists. He is one of the early candidates for the Ronnie Lott IMPACT Trophy, which ironically loses some impact what with all the capital letters. Anyway:
Seven ACC players were among the 42 identified Tuesday as early candidates for the Lott IMPACT Trophy, named for Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott and presented annually to the nation’s top defender.
Heading the list is N.C. State cornerback David Amerson, the nation’s leader in interceptions last year and the Jack Tatum Award winner as the nation’s top defensive back, and North Carolina linebacker Kevin Reddick.
He will also end up on the Thorpe watch list and will be a finalist unless he finishes with just, say, three interceptions, because while he might play as well as he did in 2011, it won't matter without the INTs since no one watches enough games to make an honest call on an award for best DB. And beyond that, no one in a position to rule on this matter has any idea how to properly judge the best DB in America. But I digress.