The watch list for the Jim Thorpe Award, which is presented to the nation's best defensive back, was released today. Here are your ACC candidates:

• Tre Boston, North Carolina

• Ross Cockrell, Duke

• Antone Exum, Virginia Tech

• Lamarcus Joyner, Florida State

The Big 12, Big Ten and Pac-12 each had eight candidates, while the ACC and SEC each had four.

The ACC has some talented defensive backs returning this season, some of whom didn't make the watch list. Four returning ACC defensive backs ranked among the top 20 in the nation last fall in passes defended, led by Virginia Tech’s Exum: