MOBILE, Ala. – South Alabama had a program record five players named to the 2023 Reese's Senior Bowl Watch List on Wednesday as Yam Banks, Carter Bradley, Caullin Lacy, Wy'Kevious Thomas and La'Damian Webb were each selected. This season marks the first time that specialists have been included on the organization's preseason watch list.

The honor marks the fourth preseason watch list of the fall for Banks as the junior safety was also named to the Chuck Bednarik Award Watch List, the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Watch List and the Bronko Nagurski Award Watch List during the preseason, while also picking up multiple All-American and all-SBC honors. 

Banks, who was named First-Team All-Sun Belt as a defensive back at the end of last season, was also an honorable mention All-America selection by Phil Steele, second team by PFF and third team by CFN in 2022. Banks finished the season with a team-high and program-record six interceptions, while he was credited with 50 total tackles, including 35 solo stops, with six tackles for loss and one sack. Banks finished the year with 11 pass breakups, five quarterback hurries and one fumble recovery.

Bradley has also been recognized by several organizations this summer as he has been named to five other watch list – Manning Award, Davey O'Brien, Maxwell Award, Wuerffel Trophy and the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award– while also being named all-Sun Belt by both the coaches and national publications.    

The Jacksonville, Fla., native set school records in passing yards (3,326), completions (276) and touchdowns (28) in his first year at South Alabama. He ranked in the top 50 nationally in 11 different categories, including 22nd in passing touchdowns and 25th in passing yards in 2022 and passed for three or more touchdowns in a game seven different times during the season, including four against Texas State. 

Lacy has been named to both the Biletnikoff Award Watch List and the Paul Hornung Award Watch List this summer after emerging as one of the top offensive threats in the league a year ago. The Mobile, native was a highly versatile player for the Jags as he was used as a receiver and primary punt returner. He recorded 21 returns for 189 yards, averaging 9.00 yards per return and scored a touchdown, and as a receiver, he finished with a team-high 65 receptions for 816 yards, with six touchdowns. Lacy recorded a career-high and school record 12 receptions for 133 yards against ULM. Lacy has also been named preseason all-SBC at a pair of positions by both Athlon Sports and PFF, along with a first-team nod by Phil Steele and a second-team all-league honor by the coaches earlier this summer.

The watch is the first for Thomas this summer, but the defensive tackle has also earned second-team all-conference honors from the coaches, as well as second-team accolades from both Athlon Sports and Phil Steele, and third-team honors from PFF and College Football Network.

Thomas received all-conference honors last season from Phil Steele after starting all 13 games for South at the defensive tackle position. He recorded 35 tackles, including 15 solo stops, and also tacked on five tackles for loss and three sacks, while forcing a fumble. He finished with a season-high five tackles against UCLA.

The watch list marks the third for Webb as the Jaguar running back has been named to the Doak Walker Award Watch List and the Maxwell Award Watch List, in addition to picking up multiple all-conference honors this summer.

The senior finished his first season as a Jag with 1,067 yards on 210 carries, becoming the second player in school history to rush for over 1,000 yards in a season despite missing two games. He was named honorable mention CFN All-America, while also garnering first-team all-SBC honors following the 2022 season. Webb ranked in the top 50 in seven different categories nationally, including 13th in rushing touchdowns and 10th in total touchdowns. The Opelika, Ala., native also recorded 17 receptions for 184 yards out of the backfield with a touchdown. 

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