Calen Bullock named to 2023 Bronko Nagurski watch list

If Calen Bullock lives up to the preseason hype, USC should be in good shape.

USC safety Calen Bullock was named to the 2023 Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List last week. The award has been presented annually since 1993 by the Football Writers Association of America to the player judged as the best defensive player in the country.

Calen Bullock, a junior, will lead the Trojan secondary in the 2023 season . He started all 14 games in 2022 and led the team in interceptions with five (ranked 11th in the nation). He also tallied 48 tackles and five pass breakups. He was named to the 2022 All-Pac-12 Second Team and the AP All-Pac-12 First Team.

In his three-year career, he has 87 tackles, 7 interceptions (running one back for a TD) and 8 pass breakups while appearing in 26 games with 14 starts.

Bullock will be asked to anchor a USC secondary in which a lot of positions are in flux as preseason camp continues. Players are being coached at multiple positions, and we could see a lot of shuffling between roles and positions. Nickel, dime, and other positions on the roster have not been nailed down. Bullock is expected to provide stability amid the lack of permanence in some parts of the USC secondary.

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