Three weeks into the 2015 college football season, the Ronnie Lott Defensive IMPACT Player award added five new players to the 2015 watchlist.
Here are the five new players that are on the Lott IMPACT Trophy’s radar.
DL Myles Garrett, Texas A&M
A graduate of James Martin High (TX), defensive lineman Myles Garrett has begun to place himself on the radar in 2015 after breaking an SEC freshman record last year in sacks (11.5), which was previously owned by Jadeveon Clowney.
Entering week four, Garrett has an FBS-leading six sacks (3.5 vs. Nevada), 16 tackles (8 vs. Arizona State) and 6.5 tackles for a loss heading into a match-up with Arkansas at AT&T Stadium.
LB Riley Bullough, Michigan State
vs. Oregon (9/12): 14 tackles, 3 sacks
2015 Season Totals: 39 T, 3.5 TFL, 3 sacks
DB Deon Bush, Miami
Named to the American Football Coaches Association Good Works roster, who will be captained by Stonehill College defensive lineman Nick Chiocco.
2015 Season Totals: 11 T, INT, fumble recovery
LB Jordan Jenkins, Georgia
Already picking up where things left off after being named Georgia’s most improved player in 2014, Jenkins is on pace to have his best season from a statistical standpoint.
By week three of last year, Jenkins recorded 16 tackles and one sack, but nearing week four kickoff in 2015, and the 6-foot-3, 2253-pound linebacker has reached 22 tackles, 3 sacks and 6.5 tackles for loss.
LB Tyler Matakevich, Temple
Listed as team captain for this season, whose name also appears on the the Senior Class Award list, which recognizes off-the-field contributions to the community, in the classroom and overall character.
2013: 137 T (106 solo), 11.5 TFL, INT
2015 Season Totals: 29 T, 3 sacks, 2 INTs
An award named after USC Trojan cornerback-turned-safety Ronnie Lott, the 6-foot, 203-pound member of the 2000 Hall of Fame Class (1986 – 10 INT) set a bold tone in the late 1970’s in which he participated in two Rose Bowls and compiled eight interceptions over a span of eleven games in 1980.
Preseason Favorites for the 2015 Lott Trophy
LB Kevin Anderson, Stanford
DB Dante Barnett, Kansas State
LB Joe Bolden Michigan
DB Briean Boddy-Calhoun, Minnesota
DL Joey Bosa, Ohio State
LB Kelby Brown, Duke
DL DeForest Buckner, Oregon
S Michael Caputo, Wisconsin
DE Shilque Calhoun, Michigan State
S Jeremy Cash, Duke
S Su’a Cravens, USC
LB Leonard Floyd, Georgia
CB Kendall Fuller, Virginia Tech
DB Nate Gerry, Nebraska
DL Adam Gotsis, Georgia Tech
LB Deon Hollins, UCLA
DB Dylan Haines, Texas
CB Vernon Hargreaves, Florida
DB Ryan Janvion, Wake Forest
DB Jonathan Jones, Auburn
S Karl Joseph, West Virginia
LB Bronson Kaufusi, BYU
S Derrick Kindred, TCU
DB Jordan Lomax, Iowa
DL Dean Lowry, Northwestern
LB Blake Martinez, Stanford
LB Viliami Moeakiola, Arizona State
LB Calvin Munson, San Diego State
DT Robert Nkemdiche, Ole Miss
LB Jared Norris, Utah
DE Shawn Oakman, Baylor
DE Emmanuel Ogbah, Oklahoma State
LB Joshua Perry, Ohio State
LB Reggie Ragland, Alabama
DB Jalen Ramsey, Florida State
DE Sheldon Rankins, Louisville
LB Jaylon Smith, Notre Dame
DB Weston Steelhammer, Air Force
LB Eric Striker, Oklahoma
LB Jeremy Timpf, Army
LB Scooby Wright III, Arizona
DT Anthony Zettel, Penn State
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*Featured Photo (above) credit to USA TODAY Sports
