Junior linebacker Cory James has been named to the College Football Performance Awards 2014 Linebacker Trophy preseason watch list.
The award is given at the end of the season to the nation’s top linebacker, determined by the CFPA using a scientific formula to measure how a player increases his team’s overall effectiveness. James is among 40 players selected for the list.
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James was named to the list in 2013 as well, after making a huge impact as a freshman. In his college debut, he recorded 7 tackles, 3 sacks and a forced fumble. He is the first Ram to record three or more sacks in their first career game. He finished the 2012 season with 7.5 sacks, a CSU freshman record.
The native of Del Rio, Texas, followed that up with a strong performance in his sophomore year. James recorded a career-high 9 tackles in the season opener against Colorado. In the biggest game of the season, he came up with 5 tackles and 2 sacks in the Rams win over Washington State in the 2013 Gildan New Mexico Bowl.
James started 13 games for CSU as a sophomore. He finished eighth on the team in tackles (60), second in sacks (8), second in tackles for a loss (12) and third in forced fumbles (2).
With 15.5 sacks registered over his first two seasons, James is only 1.5 away from becoming top 10 all time at CSU in career sacks.
Collegian Sports Reporter Emmett McCarthy can be reached at sports@collegian.com.
