Southern Miss receiver Quez Watkins has been the go-to target for his team’s quarterbacks this season. And now, the Athens High School alum is being honored for his production.

Watkins, a redshirt sophomore, has been named a finalist for the Conerly Trophy, given to the top college football player in Mississippi.

Each four-year college in Mississippi nominates players for the award, and one player from each school is chosen by the award committee.

Other nominees this year include Mississippi State defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons and Ole Miss wide receiver A.J. Brown.

Past winners of the Conerly Trophy include Eli Manning, Dak Prescott, Patrick Willis and Evan Ingram.

Watkins leads Southern Miss in receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. He has 67 catches for 831 yards and nine touchdowns.

Watkins has had four games with more than 100 yards receiving, including the last two games. He had seven catches for 107 yards and a touchdown in a 26-23 overtime loss to UAB on Nov. 10, and nine receptions for 110 yards and a score in a 21-20 win over Louisiana Tech last Saturday.

Watkins has blossomed in his sophomore year after having just 23 receptions for 337 yards last season. Southern Miss (5-5) faces UTEP on the road Saturday, and Watkins needs 169 receiving yards to have 1,000 for the season.

Southern Miss is only playing 11 regular-season games this season after having to cancel its game against Appalachian State due to Hurricane Florence. Southern Miss needs to beat UTEP in order to pick up its sixth win and become bowl eligible.