CHICAGO -- The preseason honors keep rolling in for Penn State linebacker Mike Mauti. Already on the watch lists for the Nagurski and Butkus Awards, the redshirt junior was among 12 athletes selected to the Big Ten's inaugural Players to Watch list.
Mauti is the only Nittany Lion on the list, which is voted on by a media panel. Criteria for the award call for the media to tab five players each from the new Legends and Leaders divisions. But there were seven in the Leaders division this year (which includes Penn State) due to ties.
Here is the entire list:
LEGENDS DIVISION
Denard Robinson, QB, Michigan
Kirk Cousins, QB, Michigan State
Jared Crick, DT, Nebraska
Lavonte David, LB, Nebraska
Dan Persa, QB, Northwestern
LEADERS DIVISION*
Nathan Scheelhaase, QB, Illinois
Damarlo Belcher, WR, Indiana
Mike Brewster, C, Ohio State
John Simon, DT, Ohio State
Michael Mauti, LB, Penn State
Montee Ball, RB, Wisconsin
James White, RB, Wisconsin
*Additional honorees due to tie