The Football Writers Association of America dropped the 2018 Nagurski Trophy watch list on Tuesday, July 24. The award is presented to the best defensive player in college football following the season, with a whopping 97 players making the cut. This year, there are 27 defensive backs, 26 linebackers, 24 defensive ends, and 20 defensive tackles.
Bronko Nagurski Trophy finalist Ed Oliver from Houston returns to the list, while Clemson’s Austin Bryant and Sutton Smith of Northern Illinois, who made the 2017 FWAA All-American Team, are also among the top players.
The SEC leads the way with 16 representatives on the list, while the Big Ten has 15. The Pac-12 has 12 players, Big 12 has nine players, seven players a piece for the American Athletic and Mountain West Conferences, 5 Independents and members of Conference USA, and four players a piece from the Mid-American and Sun Belt.
The full list of players on the 2018 Nagurski Trophy watch list can be seen below.
2018 Nagurski Trophy Watch List
| LB Dakota Allen, Texas Tech | DB Tyler Horton, Boise State |
| DE Zach Allen, Boston College | LB Khaleke Hudson, Michigan |
| LB Azeez Al-Shaair, Florida Atlantic | DB Michael Jackson, Miami |
| DB Dravon Askew-Henry, West Virginia | DE Cece Jefferson, Florida |
| LB Joe Bachie, Michigan State | DE Jalen Jelks, Oregon |
| DE Ben Banogu, TCU | DB Jaquan Johnson, Miami |
| DT Terry Beckner Jr., Missouri | DT Dre’Mont Jones, Ohio State |
| DT Ryan Bee, Marshall | DE Corbin Kaufusi, BYU |
| DB Julian Blackmon, Utah | LB Jordan Kunaszyk, California |
| DE Nick Bosa, Ohio State | DT Dexter Lawrence, Clemson |
| DB Kris Boyd, Texas | DE Jonathan Ledbetter, Georgia |
| DT Derrick Brown, Auburn | DT Ira Lewis, Baylor |
| DB Blace Brown, Troy | DB Shelton Lewis, Florida Atlantic |
| DE Austin Bryant, Clemson | DT Ray Lima, Iowa State |
| LB Ben Burr-Kirven, Washington | LB David Long Jr., West Virginia |
| LB Devin Bush, Michigan | DB Julian Love, Notre Dame |
| DB T.J. Carter, Memphis | DB Chase Lucas, Arizona State |
| DB Justin Clifton, Arkansas State | DT David Moa, Boise State |
| LB Te’von Coney, Notre Dame | LB James Nachtigal, Army West Point |
| DT Marquise Copeland, Cincinnati | DE Anthony Nelson, Iowa |
| DE Maxx Crosby, Eastern Michigan | DT Ed Oliver, Houston |
| DE Marlon Davidson, Auburn | DB Amani Oruwariye, Penn State |
| DE Raekwon Davis, Alabama | LB Shaquille Quarterman, Miami |
| DB Lukas Denis, Boston College | DB Delvon Randall, Temple |
| DB D’Cota Dixon, Wisconsin | DB Taylor Rapp, Washington |
| LB Tyrel Dodson, Texas A&M | DE Christian Rector, USC |
| DE Landis Durham, Texas A&M | LB Malik Reed, Nevada |
| LB Troy Dye, Oregon | LB David Reese, Florida |
| LB Cooper Edmiston, Tulsa | DE Hunter Reese, Troy |
| DB Mike Edwards, Kentucky | DT Olive Sagapolu, Wisconsin |
| LB T.J. Edwards, Wisconsin | DT Jordon Scott, Oregon |
| DE Jaylon Ferguson, Louisiana Tech | DB Duke Shelley, Kansas State |
| DE Clelin Ferrell, Clemson | DT Jeffery Simmons, Mississippi State |
| LB Paddy Fisher, Northwestern | LB Cameron Smith, USC |
| DT Greg Gaines, Washington | DE Sutton Smith, NIU |
| DE Rashan Gary, Michigan | DE Montez Sweat, Mississippi State |
| DE Joe Gaziano, Northwestern | LB Jahlani Tavai, Hawaii |
| DT Youhanna Ghaifan, Wyoming | DB Marvell Tell III, USC |
| DB Kyle Gibson, UCF | DB Juan Thornhill, Virginia |
| DB Mark Gilbert, Duke | DT Jerry Tillery, Notre Dame |
| LB Ulysees Gilbert III, Akron | DT Ricky Walker, Virginia Tech |
| LB Joe Giles-Harris, Duke | LB Devin White, LSU |
| DE Carl Granderson, Wyoming | DT Christian Wilkins, Clemson |
| LB Terez Hall, Missouri | DB Greedy Williams, LSU |
| LB De’Jon Harris, Arkansas | DB Andrew Wingard, Wyoming |
| DB Tae Hayes, Appalachian State | DE Chase Winovich, Michigan |
| DB Lavert Hill, Michigan | DT Daniel Wise, Kansas |
| DT Trysten Hill, UCF | DE Oshane Ximines, Old Dominion |
| LB Khalil Hodge, Buffalo | |
