Preseason watch list unveiled for the 2022 Bronko Nagurski Trophy
The Football Writers Association of America released its 2022 preseason watch list for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy on Tuesday.
The 85-man list includes 25 linebackers, 18 safeties, 17 defensive ends, 13 cornerbacks, and 12 defensive tackles. The award is presented annually to the best defensive player in the country.
As such, the SEC dominated the selections with 14, the most among the Power Five conferences. The ACC, Big Ten, and Big 12 each had 10 while the Pac-12 had just eight. Oregon and Utah each had multiple selections while Oregon State, Stanford, USC, and Washington State placed individuals on the list.
The group from the Pac-12:
- DE Brandon Dorlus, Oregon
- LB Noah Sewell, Oregon
- LB Omar Speights, Oregon State
- CB Kyu Blu Kelly, Stanford
- DT Tuli Tuipulotu, USC
- DT Junior Tafuna, Utah
- CB Clark Phillips III, Utah
- DE Ron Stone Jr., Washington State
Players may be added or removed from the watch list during the course of the season based on play. The FWAA and the Charlotte Touchdown Club will announce the three finalists for the 2022 trophy on Nov. 16. The winner will be revealed on Dec. 5 at the Bronko Nagurski Awards Banquet in Charlotte, N.C.
You can view the full list of names below:
- LB Vince Sanford, Air Force
- LB Will Anderson Jr., Alabama
- LB Henry To’oto’o, Alabama
- CB Eli Ricks, Alabama
- S Jordan Battle, Alabama
- CB Steven Jones Jr., App State
- LB Bumper Pool, Arkansas
- S Jalen Catalon, Arkansas
- LB Andre Carter, Army
- DE Derick, Hall, Auburn
- DT Siaki Ika, Baylor
- LB Dillon Doyle, Baylor
- S JL Skinner, Boise State
- LB Darren Anders, Bowling Green
- LB James Patterson, Buffalo
- LB Payton Wilgar, BYU
- LB Deshawn Pace, Cincinnati
- LB Ivan Pace, Cincinnati
- DT Bryan Bresee, Clemson
- DE Myles Murphy, Clemson
- LB Trenton Simpson, Clemson
- DE Josiah Stewart, Coastal Carolina
- CB D’Jordan Strong, Coastal Carolina
- S Jammie Robinson, Florida State
- S Evan Williams, Fresno State
- DT Jalen Carter, Georgia
- LB Nolan Smith, Georgia
- CB Kelee Ringo, Georgia
- S Antavioius Lane, Georgia State
- S Gervarrius Owens, Houston
- LB Jack Campbell, Iowa
- CB Riley Moss, Iowa
- DE Will McDonald IV, Iowa State
- DE Felix Anudike-Uzomah, Kansas State
- DE B.J. Ojulari, LSU
- S Quindell Johnson, Memphis
- DT Leonard Taylor, Miami
- S Xavier Henderson, Michigan State
- CB Emmanuel Forbes, Mississippi State
- LB Drake Thomas, N.C. State
- S Tanner Ingle, N.C. State
- DE Ochaun Mathis, Nebraska
- DT Myles Murphy, North Carolina
- LB KD Davis, North Texas
- S CJ Brown, Northern Illinois
- DE Isaiah Foskey, Notre Dame
- S Brandon Joseph, Notre Dame
- DE Zach Harrison, Ohio State
- S Ronnie Hickman, Ohio State
- DE Brock Martin, Oklahoma State
- DE Collin Oliver, Oklahoma State
- DE Brandon Dorlus, Oregon
- LB Noah Sewell, Oregon
- LB Omar Speights, Oregon State
- DT PJ Mustipher, Penn State
- CB Joey Porter, Penn State
- DT Calijah Kancey, Pitt
- LB Caden McDonald, San Diego State
- S Patrick McMorris, San Diego State
- DE Viliami Fehoko, San Jose State
- LB Kyle Harmon, San Jose State
- DT Elijah Chatman, SMU
- CB Darrell Luter Jr., South Alabama
- CB Cam Smith, South Carolina
- LB Antonio Grier, South Florida
- CB Kyu Blu Kelly, Stanford
- LB Mikel Jones, Syracuse
- CB Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson, TCU
- LB DeMarvion Overshown, Texas
- S Antonio Johnson, Texas A&M
- DE Jamal Hines, Toledo
- DE Javon Solomon, Troy
- LB Carlton Martial, Troy
- S Grayson Cash, UAB
- S Divaad Wilson, UCF
- DT Tuli Tuipulotu, USC
- DT Junior Tafuna, Utah
- CB Clark Phillips, Utah
- DE Praise Amaewhule, UTEP
- S Rashad Wisdom, UTSA
- DE Ron Stone Jr., Washington State
- DT Dante Stills, West Virginia
- CB Charles Woods, West Virginia
- DT Keeanu Benton, Wisconsin
- LB Nick Herbig, Wisconsin