UT center Shackelford in mix for Rimington

Sophomore placed on spring watch list for this season’s trophy.

Texas center Zach Shackelford, who will be a sophomore this fall, has been placed on the spring watch list for the 2017 Rimington Trophy.

Since 2000, the Rimington Trophy is annually awarded to the top center in college football. No Longhorn has won the award. Chris Hall was a finalist in 2009.

Iowa State’s Julian Good-Jones, Kansas’ Mesa Ribordy and Kansas State’s Reid Najvar were also placed on the watch list alongside Oklahoma’s Erick Wren, Oklahoma State’s Brad Lundblade and TCU’s Austin Schlottmann. Tanner Thrift, a senior at Baylor who is from nearby Hutto, also made the cut.

Shackelford started nine games during the 2016 season, although he missed three games because of injuries. Named a freshman All-American by the Football Writers Association of America, Shackelford helped block for 2,000yard rusher D’Onta Foreman. As a team, Texas averaged 491.3 yards and 31.9 points per game in 2016.

A Belton native, Shackelford was listed at 6-foot-4 and 305 pounds on Texas’ spring roster.

CFL: Former Texas kickoff return standout and Hendrickson High School product Daje Johnson is continuing his career with the Ottawa Redblacks of the Canadian Football League, he announced Tuesday.

Johnson spent time last season with the Atlanta Falcons organization in the NFL, but never made the 53-man roster. He attended the Texas Pro Day in April in hopes of catching the eye of more NFL scouts, and now he’ll try to revive his career north of the border.

Johnson, who also released a rap album during his college playing days, was one of the most exciting kick returners in the Big 12 during his time with the Longhorns. He returned two punts back for touchdowns in four seasons and totaled 396 yards on punt returns. He also had 976 kickoff return yards. He caught 85 passes for 837 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 459 yards in his career.

Johnson joins Longhorn legend Vince Young, who plays for the Saskatchewan Roughriders, in the CFL this season.

NFL: With 36 interceptions in 13 seasons with the New England Patriots, retired Pro Bowl defensive back and Longhorn great Raymond Clayborn will join the Patriots’ team Hall of Fame this year.

Drafted in 1977 with the 16th overall pick, Clayborn made three Pro Bowls and three All-Pro teams and helped the Patriots reach Super Bowl XX, where they lost to the Chicago Bears 46-10.

Clayborn’s 36 career interceptions are tied for No. 1 on the Patriots’ all-time list with Ty Law.

At Texas, Clayborn played running back and defensive back after a standout career at Fort Worth Trimble Tech High School. He was a two-time All-American and twotime All-Southwest Conference player. He was named the team MVP in 1976.

In track, Clayborn was a part of the SWC championship relay teams in the 440-yard relay and mile relay.

This isn’t the first team Hall of Fame Clayborn is joining. In 1991, he was inducted into the Longhorn Hall of Honor.