LSU saw another player crack an award watch list on Tuesday as edge rusher [autotag]BJ Ojulari[/autotag] was one of 85 players named to the preseason watch list for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, which is given annually to the top defensive player in college football, regardless of position.
Ojulari enters his junior season with high expectations, and if he can stay healthy, he should be one of the best edge rushers in the SEC, if not the entire country.
After making an immediate impact in the rotation as a true freshman in 2020, Ojulari became a full-time starter last fall. He played in every game, leading the team in sacks with seven and finishing second in tackles for loss with 11.5. He’ll look to become the second LSU player to win the Nagurski Trophy, joining [autotag]Glenn Dorsey[/autotag] in 2007.
Defensive lineman @Bj_O9 is on the Nagurski Trophy list
Glenn Dorsey won the award, which is given to the most outstanding defensive player in the nation, in 2007. pic.twitter.com/Qpd1cNWNwj
— LSU Football (@LSUfootball) July 26, 2022
Ojulari enters his third season expected to take his play up a notch, and many see him as a potential first-round pick in the 2023 NFL draft. Playing next to [autotag]Ali Gaye[/autotag] should give the Tigers one of the best edge-rushing duos in the country as the defense hopes to take a leap forward in 2022 under new defensive coordinator [autotag]Matt House[/autotag].
LSU now has three players on preseason watch lists, with Ojulari joining [autotag]Kayshon Boutte[/autotag] and [autotag]Micah Baskerville[/autotag], who are on the lists for the Biletnikoff and Butkus awards, respectively. The full 85-man list for the Nagurski Trophy can be found here.
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