On Friday morning, the Football Writers Association of America released its preseason watch list for the 2016 Bronko Nagurski Trophy. The award — given out annually to college football’s defensive player of the year — currently has 88 players from around the nation on its watch list for the upcoming year.
Desmond King of Iowa, Shawun Lurry of Northern Illinois and Myles Garrett of Texas A&M headline the list as returning All-Americans.
Alabama and LSU lead the way with five players each, while the Southeastern Conference leads all conferences with 27 players. The completely breakdown is the Big Ten (13), Pac-12 (13), ACC (11), Big 12 (10), Mid-American (4), Mountain West (3), American Athletic (2), Conference USA (2), Sun Belt (1) and Independents (2).
Who will claim the award?
The full Nagurski Trophy watch list can be seen below:
| 2016 BRONKO NAGURSKI TROPHY PRESEASON WATCH LIST (88) | |
| Montravius Adams, Auburn, DT | Elijah Lee, Kansas State, LB |
| Jamal Adams, LSU, DB | Jourdan Lewis, Michigan, DB |
| Jonathan Allen, Alabama, DE | Tyquan Lewis, Ohio State, DE |
| Chidobe Awuzie, Colorado, DB | William Likely, Maryland, DB |
| Budda Baker, Washington, DB | Lowell Lotulelei, Utah, DT |
| Dante Barnett, Kansas State, DB | Shawun Lurry, Northern Illinois, DB |
| Derek Barnett, Tennessee, DE | Jamal Marcus, Akron, DE |
| Kendell Beckwith, LSU, LB | Marcus Maye, Florida, DB |
| Vince Biegel, Wisconsin, LB | Malik McDowell, Michigan State, DT |
| Quin Blanding, Virginia, DB | Raekwon McMillan, Ohio State |
| Ben Boulware, Clemson, LB | Fabian Moreau, UCLA, DB |
| Richie Brown, Mississippi State, LB | Calvin Munson, San Diego State, LB |
| Riley Bullough, Michigan State, LB | Lewis Neal, LSU, DE |
| Josh Carraway, TCU, DE | Hardy Nickerson, Illinois, LB |
| Lorenzo Carter, Georgia, LB | Steven Parker, Oklahoma, DB |
| Tony Conner, Ole Miss, DB | Jabrill Peppers, Michigan, LB |
| Zach Cunningham, Vanderbilt, LB | Jalen Reeves-Maybin, Tennessee, LB |
| Jarrad Davis, Florida, LB | TJ Ricks, Old Dominion, LB |
| Hunter Dimick, Utah, DE | Isaac Rochell, Notre Dame, DE |
| Ken Ekanem, Virginia Tech, DE | Ja’Von Rolland-Jones, Arkansas State, DE |
| Devonte Fields, Louisville, DE | Duke Shelley, Kansas State, DB |
| Salamo Fiso, Arizona State, LB | Cameron Smith, USC, LB |
| Kylie Fitts, Utah, DE | Weston Steelhammer, Air Force, DB |
| Reuben Foster, Alabama, LB | Jordan Sterns, Oklahoma State, DB |
| Myles Garrett, Texas A&M, DE | Jamar Summers, UConn, DB |
| Davon Godchaux, LSU, DT | Cameron Sutton, Tennessee, DB |
| Daeshon Hall, Texas A&M, DE | Jalen Tabor, Florida, DB |
| Charles Harris, Missouri, DE | Cordrea Tankersley, Clemson, DB |
| Josh Harvey-Clemons, Louisville, DB | Steven Taylor, Houston, LB |
| Marquis Haynes, Ole Miss, DE | Ahmad Thomas, Oklahoma, DB |
| Treyvon Hester, Toledo, DT | Tanner Vallejo, Boise State, LB |
| Travin Howard, TCU, LB | Eddie Vanderdoes, UCLA, DT |
| Shane Huber, Massachusetts, LB | Azeem Victor, Washington, LB |
| Marlon Humphrey, Alabama, DB | Anthony Walker Jr., Northwestern, LB |
| Adoreé Jackson, USC, DB | Charles Walker, Oklahoma, DE |
| Eddie Jackson, Alabama | DeMarcus Walker, Florida State, DE |
| Derwin James, Florida State, DB | Carlos Watkins, Clemson, DT |
| Malik Jefferson, Texas, LB | Tre’Davious White, LSU, DB |
| Josey Jewell, Iowa, LB | Jordan Whitehead, Pittsburgh, DB |
| Sidney Jones, Washington, DB | Marcus Williams, Utah, DB |
| Andrew King, Army, LB | Tim Williams, Alabama, LB |
| Desmond King, Iowa, DB | Deatrich Wise Jr., Arkansas, DE |
| Micah Kiser, Virginia, LB | Xavier Woods, Louisiana Tech, DB |
| Carl Lawson, Auburn, DE | Chris Wormley, Michigan, DE |
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