Three Rebels Earn Spots on Midseason Watch Lists

Laquon Treadwell (Photo by Josh Bonner/ Libertine Images)

Due to their strong performances on the gridiron this season, three Rebels have been named to award watch lists. Quarterback Chad Kelly is on the Manning Award Watch List, wide receiver Laquon Treadwell was added to the Biletnikoff Award Watch List, and tight end Evan Engram found himself on the John Mackey Award Midseason Watch List.

Kelly has gotten his Ole Miss career off to a fast start to earn a spot on the watch list for the Manning Award, given to the nation’s top quarterback. The Manning Award is named in honor of two all-time great Ole Miss quarterbacks, Archie and Eli Manning, as well as Peyton Manning. In six games as the Rebels’ signal caller, Kelly stands atop the SEC in multiple categories: passing yards (1,862), yards per completion (15.39), total offense (331.08 per game) and TD passes (14).

Chad Kelly (Photo by Josh Bonner/Libertine Images)

A few of those categories rank among the top 10 in the country. His 15.39 yards per completion rank seventh in the nation, while his 1,862 passing yards rank ninth. The Buffalo, New York native has thrown for over 300 yards in four of the six games, which already ties Bo Wallace and Eli Manning for the most in one season.

Treadwell is up for the Biletnikoff Award, an honor bestowed to the nation’s outstanding receiver each season. Bouncing back from a significant injury suffered last season, the Crete, Illinois native has led the talented Ole Miss receiving corps. He has hauled in 35 passes in 2015, nearly double the amount of his closest teammate. Last weekend, Treadwell caught eight passes for a career-high 136 yards and two touchdowns to put together his fifth career 100-yard game, the fifth most in program history. The junior has totaled 510 receiving yards this season, which ranks second in the SEC. Another impressive feat is that Treadwell has caught a pass in 28 straight games he’s appeared in, the 17th-longest streak in the nation.

Lauren Poole is all smiles with Evan Engram

The John Mackey Award is given annually to the nation’s top tight end, and Engram is being considered for the award at this point in the season. The junior has 10 receptions for 137 this season, averaging 13.7 yards per catch. With 1,067 career yards receiving, Engram is just 47 yards away from passing Jim Poole and becoming the school record holder for most receiving yards by a tight end. He also ranks among the top four tight ends in Ole Miss history in receptions (69) and touchdowns (5). Engram entered the season on the Mackey Award Preseason Watch List following an All-American and All-SEC season as a sophomore.

Laquon Treadwell catches a pass at the Ole Miss vs. New Mexico State University game in Oxford. Photo by Josh Bonner/Libertine Images

Courtesy Ole Miss Athletics