On Tuesday the Football Writers Association of America revealed its annual Bronko Nagusrksi Trophy watch list with a pair of Texas Longhorns defenders making the cut.
Defensive back [autotag]Jahdae Barron[/autotag] and linebacker [autotag]Anthony Hill[/autotag] joined the list of 75 players who made the initial cut. Barron is returning for his fifth season on the Forty Acres. Over his first four seasons, the fifth-year defensive back played in 41 total games with 23 starts. He has made 21 starts over the last two seasons.
A semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award in 2023, Barron has tallied 90 solo tackles, 160 total tackles, 17.0 TFLs, 16 PDs, and three interceptions during that time. He will be a key contributor for a Texas defense that is looking to be better against the pass in 2024. The team finished No. 12 in the Big 12 last year with 254.4 passing yards per game, which would have been No. 13 in the SEC just ahead of the LSU Tigers (255.6) and Vanderbilt Commodores (279.6).
Hill on the other hand is looking for a larger role in year two on the Forty Acres. He played in all 14 games with six starts earning a share of the 2023 Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year honors. Overall the former five-star signee tallied 67 total tackles, 40 solo tackles, 8.0 TFLs, with five sacks and one forced fumble.
Hill is expected to be the full-time starter at the middle linebacker spot between Morice Blackwell at SAM and David Gbenda at WILL. Both Barron and Hill could be major factors for the success on defense in 2024, which would make them worthy of the honor of becoming the 2024 Bronko Nagurski Trophy winner.