LSU’s Harold Perkins Jr. named to Nagurski Trophy preseason watch list

Harold Perkins Jr. could be one of college football’s top defenders in 2024.

LSU’s run of players on preseason award watch lists continued on Tuesday as linebacker [autotag]Harold Perkins Jr.[/autotag] was announced a member of the Bronko Nagurski Trophy watch list.

The Nagurski Trophy is given annually to the top defender in college football, regardless of position. Perkins seeks to become the second LSU player to win the award after [autotag]Glenn Dorsey[/autotag] won it in 2007.

Perkins came on strong as a true freshman in 2022, and though is production diminished a bit when he moved off the ball in 2023, he still has 26 tackles for loss and 13 sacks in his two seasons in Baton Rouge.

He could see a new role this year, as well, as he’s reportedly moving to the weak side in new defensive coordinator Blake Baker’s system. A former five-star recruit, many see Perkins as a likely first-round pick in 2025, and it’s easy to see the potential if he can put it all together on the field this season.

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Notre Dame players named to preseason award watch lists

Will anyone win this year?

It’s the time of year when we start seeing award watch lists come out in anticipation of the college football season. With Notre Dame expected to be highly ranked once again, there are plenty of players who are ripe for watching. Whether or not any of them actually take home any of this hardware is anyone’s guess right now, but they’re at least on the radar of those who know college football best.

In some cases, more than one Notre Dame player is on the watch list for the same award. Also, as different award watch lists come on different days, it can be difficult to keep track of them all. Rest assured, we will be doing just that as these lists continue to come out.

At season’s end, we’ll find out if any of them or maybe somebody different becomes the first national award winner for the Irish since [autotag]Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah[/autotag] won the Butkus Award in 2020:

Georgia boasts 3 players on Nagurski Trophy watch list

UGA football has a nation’s best 3 players on the Nagurski Trophy watch list…

Preseason award watch lists are making the rounds ahead of the 2023 college football season and Georgia has been well represented thus far.

Star tight end Brock Bowers is listed on the Maxwell Award watch list, which is given to the nation’s top overall player.

Up next is the Nagurski Trophy watch list, which is given to the best overall defensive player. The Bulldogs boast a nation’s best three selections on the list in defensive lineman Mykel Williams, linebacker Jamon Dumas-Johnson and safety Malaki Starks.

Williams earned freshman All-SEC and All-American honors in 2022 after leading the Bulldogs in sacks with 4.5, including one in each of Georgia’s playoff games.

Starks also earned freshman All-SEC and All-American honors after an impressive first year in Athens. The former five-star prospect finished third on the team in tackles with 68 stops and recorded two interceptions.

Dumas-Johnson was a tackling machine as a first-year starter at inside linebacker. The defensive signal caller racked up 70 stops, second-best on the team, and led the team with nine tackles for loss.

The Bulldogs begin fall camp this week in preparation for the season opener versus UT Martin at Sanford Stadium.

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Multiple Alabama players named to Nagurski Trophy watch list

Three Alabama stars are placed on the Nagurski Trophy watch list, which recognizes the best defensive player in college football.

The Bronko Nagurski Trophy awards and recognizes the top defensive player in college football. With the preseason watch list revealed, three Alabama players were tabbed as standouts to watch for the 2023 season. Defensive backs Malachi Moore, Kool-Aid McKinstry and linebacker Dallas Turner made the list.

The trophy was first introduced in the 1993 season. The first Crimson Tide player to win the award was Jonathan Allen in 2016. Will Anderson Jr. won it in back-to-back seasons in 2021 and 2022. With three total Nagurski Trophies, Alabama has more than any other program.

All three of these players are expected to serve as leaders on and off the field as the Crimson Tide seeks to return to the College Football Playoffs.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow Alabama football as the 2023 offseason winds down.

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Three Tigers named to the Nagurski Trophy watch list

Three Tigers named to the Nagurski Trophy watch list, rewarded annually to the nation’s top defensive player.

The Football Writers Association of America announced today that linebacker Barrett Carter, defensive tackle Tyler Davis and linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr. have been named as three of 96 candidates on the watch list for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, presented annually to the nation’s top defensive player. Additional information from the FWAA and the Charlotte Touchdown Club is included below.

Visit the 2023 Preseason Honors hub for more preseason accolades garnered by Clemson.


DALLAS (FWAA) – The Football Writers Association of America released its 2023 Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List today, selecting 96 defensive standouts from 70 schools in all 10 Division I FBS conferences plus Independents. The watch list roster includes three returning players from last season’s FWAA All-America team, the top four tacklers from last season, the sack and interception leaders from 2022 and five secondary players who had at least six interceptions last year.

The FWAA and the Charlotte Touchdown Club will announce finalists for the 2023 trophy on Nov. 15 and the winner will be unveiled Dec. 4 at the Bronko Nagurski Awards Banquet in Charlotte, N.C.

The trio of FWAA All-Americans top the list, each of them from the second team. Old Dominion linebacker Jason Henderson led all FBS players in tackles last year by a wide margin – his 15.5 tackles per game average was 4.2 tpc ahead of the second-best total. Ohio State linebacker Tommy Eichenberg, who averaged 9.2 tpc last season and helped the Buckeyes become the FBS’s 14th-best team in total defense and thrust them into the College Football Playoff semifinals. Clemson’s Tyler Davis is the third returning All-American plugging the middle of a Tigers’ defense that was 13th nationally stopping the run giving up 102.7 ypg.

Davis is one of 13 defensive tackles on the Bronko Nagurski Trophy watch list, 10 of which are also on the preseason watch list for the Outland Trophy, also awarded by the FWAA and releasing its list today. Besides the defensive tackles, the Bronko Nagurski Trophy list includes 29 linebackers, 19 each of cornerbacks and safeties and 16 defensive ends.

Eichenberg is one of three Ohio State players on the list along with defensive end JT Tuimoloau and safety Lathan Ransom. Penn State, with one player from each segment of its defense in defensive end Chop Robinson, linebacker Abdul Carter and cornerback Kalen King, and Michigan, the same with defensive tackle Kris Jenkins in front of linebacker Junior Colson in front of safety Rod Moore, are nine of the Big Ten Conference’s 15 players that tie the Southeastern Conference for the most from one conference.

The SEC has three players each from defending national champion Georgia and Alabama. Georgia defensive end Mykel Williams and safety Malaki Starks, both fresh off last season’s FWAA Freshman All-America Team, join linebacker Jamon Dumas-Johnson for the Bulldogs. Also a Freshman All-American last season was Alabama linebacker Dallas Turner with teammate cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry and safety Malachi Moore joining him on the list. A quintet of Tigers – super sophomore linebacker Harold Perkins Jr. and Mekhi Wingo of LSU, cornerback Kris Abrams-Draine and linebacker Ty’Ron Hopper of Missouri, and Auburn cornerback D.J. James – are others among the nine schools represented from the SEC. Kentucky defensive tackle Deone Walker is another returning Freshman All-American.

Besides Davis, Clemson’s other representatives are linebackers Barrett Carter and Jeremiah Trotter Jr. Florida State is expected to challenge for the Atlantic Coast Conference title supported by watch listers defensive end Jared Verse up front and cornerback Fentrell Cypress II in the secondary. Also from the ACC is North Carolina linebacker Cedric Gray, who was third nationally in tackles last season with 146, and Miami safety Kamren Kinchens, who tied for third in the FBS with six interceptions.

Cornerback Josh Newton of national runner-up TCU is at the forefront of the 11-man crew from the Big 12 that has one player from 11 of its now 14 schools, including new members Cincinnati with super sophomore defensive tackle Dontay Corleone and UCF linebacker Jason Johnson. Heading up the 10 players from the Pac-12 are two from Utah, safety Cole Bishop and defensive tackle Junior Tafuna, and UCLA defensive end Laiatu Latu, the top returning sack leader from a year ago with 10.5 sacks that tied for seventh nationally.

There are 14 schools which have two players on the list including Buffalo, which has linebacker Shaun Dolac, second behind ODU’s Henderson in total tackles last season with 147 and an 11.3 tpc average, on the list joining safety Marcus Fuqua, whose seven interceptions tied for the national lead. Notre Dame’s pair are linebacker JD Bertrand and cornerback Benjamin Morrison. Illinois bolsters the Big Ten’s count with standout defensive linemen Jer’Zhan Newton on the end and tackle Keith Randolph in the middle.

Defending American Athletic Conference champion Tulane and UTSA, a new member to the conference and a co-favorite with Tulane in the preseason, each have two players. Tulane defensive end Darius Hodges and cornerback Jarius Monroe are two of the AAC’s six representatives along with linebacker Trey Moore and safety Rashad Wisdom from UTSA. Other schools with two players on the team are Marshall – safety Micah Abraham tied for third in the FBS with six interceptions last season – Oregon, Toledo, Troy and UTEP.

As a list by conference, the Big Ten and SEC lead with 15 each, the Big 12 has 11 and the Atlantic Coast and Pac-12 have 10 each followed by the Mid-American and Sun Belt with seven each, the American and Mountain West with six each and Conference USA and Independents with four.

In all 10 players from the 96-player list were on last season’s FWAA Freshman All-America Team. There are 70 schools – more than half of the FBS membership – represented on this year’s team.

Players may be added or removed from the watch list during the course of the season. As in previous years, the FWAA will announce a National Defensive Player of the Week each Tuesday this season. If not already on the watch list, each week’s honored player will be added at that time.

Following is the complete 2023 Bronko Nagurski Trophy Preseason Watch List

2023 BRONKO NAGURSKI PRESEASON WATCH LIST (96)
CB Micah Abraham, Marshall
CB Kris Abrams-Draine, Missouri
DE Praise Amaewhule, UTEP
LB Bubba Arslanian, Akron
LB Levelle Bailey, Fresno State
S Yam Banks, South Alabama
LB JD Bertrand, Notre Dame
S Cole Bishop, Utah
CB Cobee Bryant, Kansas
S Calen Bullock, USC
DT James Carpenter, James Madison
LB Abdul Carter, Penn State
LB Barrett Carter, Clemson
DT DeWayne Carter, Duke
DT Kendy Charles, Liberty
LB Junior Colson, Michigan
DT Dontay Corleone, Cincinnati
CB Fentrell Cypress II, Florida State
DT Tyler Davis, Clemson
CB Cooper DeJean, Iowa
LB Shaun Dolac, Buffalo
DE Brandon Dorlus, Oregon
LB Jamon Dumas-Johnson, Georgia
LB Tommy Eichenberg, Ohio State
S Nick Emmanwori, South Carolina
DE JaQues Evans, WKU
DE Donovan Ezeiruaku, Boston College
S Tra Fluellen, Middle Tennessee
LB Jaylan Ford, Texas
S Marcus Fuqua, Buffalo
LB Easton Gibbs, Wyoming
LB Cedric Gray, North Carolina
LB Cal Haladay, Michigan State
DE Gabe Hall, Baylor
LB Jason Henderson, Old Dominion
DE Darius Hodges, Tulane
S Maxen Hook, Toledo
LB Ty’Ron Hopper, Missouri
S Jack Howell, Colorado State
DT Jaylon Hutchings, Texas Tech
DE Brennan Jackson, Washington State
DT T.J. Jackson, Troy
CB D.J. James, Auburn
DT Kris Jenkins, Michigan
LB Jason Johnson, UCF
LB Layton Jordan, Temple
CB Donte Kent, Central Michigan
S Kamren Kinchens, Miami
CB Kalen King, Penn State
LB Tyrice Knight, UTEP
DE Laiatu Latu, UCLA
CB Jordan Mahoney, Massachusetts
CB Dwight McGlothern, Arkansas
CB Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama
LB Jackson Mitchell, UConn
CB Quinyon Mitchell, Toledo
CB Jarius Monroe, Tulane
LB Cody Moon, San Diego State
S Malachi Moore, Alabama
S Rod Moore, Michigan
LB Trey Moore, UTSA
CB Benjamin Morrison, Notre Dame
DE Jer’Zhan Newton, Illinois
CB Josh Newton, TCU
LB Maema Njongmeta, Wisconsin
S Tyler Nubin, Minnesota
S Kitan Oladapo, Oregon State
DE Collin Oliver, Oklahoma State
DT Devonte O’Malley, NIU
LB Harold Perkins Jr., LSU
DE Owen Porter, Marshall
DT Keith Randolph, Illinois
S Lathan Ransom, Ohio State
DE Chop Robinson, Penn State
S Kobe Savage, Kansas State
LB DJ Schramm, Boise State
LB Jackson Sirmon, California
S Malaki Starks, Georgia
CB Reddy Steward, Troy
LB Danny Stutsman, Oklahoma
DT Junior Tafuna, Utah
CB T.J. Tampa, Iowa State
S Trey Taylor, Air Force
CB Ridge Texada, North Texas
DE Bralen Trice, Washington
LB Jeremiah Trotter Jr., Clemson
DE JT Tuimoloau, Ohio State
LB Dallas Turner, Alabama
DE Jared Verse, Florida State
DT Deone Walker, Kentucky
LB Nathaniel Watson, Mississippi State
CB Aydan White, N.C. State
S Evan Williams, Oregon
DE Mykel Williams, Georgia
DT Mekhi Wingo, LSU
S Rashad Wisdom, UTSA

The FWAA All-America Committee, after voting input from the association’s full membership, selects a 26-man All-America Team and eventually the Nagurski Trophy finalists. The Bronko Nagurski Trophy winner will be chosen from the five finalists named in November. Committee members, by individual ballot, select the winner they regard as the best defensive player in college football.

The FWAA has chosen a National Defensive Player of the Year since 1993. In 1995, the FWAA named the award in honor of the legendary two-way player from the University of Minnesota. Nagurski dominated college football, then became a star for professional football’s Chicago Bears in the 1930s. Bronislaw “Bronko” Nagurski is a charter member of both the College Football and Pro Football Halls of Fame.

The Bronko Nagurski Trophy is a member of the National College Football Awards Association. Founded in 1997, the NCFAA includes college football’s most prestigious awards and its 24 awards have honored more than 900 recipients dating back to 1935. This season, 12 NCFAA awards will honor national players of the week each Tuesday.

Sixteen NCFAA members are unveiling preseason watch lists over a two-week period as the association spearheads a coordinated effort to promote each award’s preseason candidates. Following is the remaining 2023 preseason watch list calendar:

Wed., Aug. 2: Lou Groza Award/Ray Guy Award
Thu., Aug. 3: Paul Hornung Award/Wuerffel Trophy
Fri., Aug. 4: Mackey Award/Rimington Trophy

Mon., Aug. 7: Biletnikoff Award
Tue., Aug. 8: Davey O’Brien Award
Wed., Aug. 9: Doak Walker Award
Thu., Aug. 10: Butkus Award/Paycom Jim Thorpe Award
Fri., Aug. 11: Walter Camp Award

Mon., Aug. 14: Bednarik Award

For more information about the NCFAA and its award programs, visit the redesigned NCFAA.org or follow on Twitter at @NCFAA.

The Charlotte Touchdown Club is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization founded in 1990 for the purpose of promoting high school, collegiate, and professional football in the Charlotte, North Carolina region. Since its inception, the club has grown as well as diversified boasting a sponsor team of more than 80 companies. The Club’s activities and services focus community attention on the outstanding Citizenship, Scholarship, Sportsmanship, and Leadership of area athletes and coaches. Through individual and corporate support, nearly $3,000,000 has been raised and donated to benefit the Touchdown Club’s scholarship efforts.

Founded in 1941, the Football Writers Association of America consists of 1,300 men and women who cover college football. The membership includes journalists, broadcasters and publicists, as well as key executives in all the areas that involve the game. The FWAA works to govern areas that include game-day operations, major awards and its annual All-America team. For more information about the FWAA and its award programs, contact Steve Richardson at tiger@fwaa.com.

Via Clemson Athletic Communications 

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Harold Perkins, Mekhi Wingo named to Nagurski Trophy watch list

Two LSU standouts were named to the Nagurski Trophy watch list for the best defensive player in college football.

It’s preseason award watch list season, and LSU has put two players on the list for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, which is given to the top defensive player in college football.

[autotag]Harold Perkins[/autotag] and [autotag]Mekhi Wingo[/autotag] were both among the 94 players chosen for the watch list after each had breakout 2022 seasons in their first campaigns with the Tigers.

Perkins, a five-star true freshman, became the team’s best pass-rusher by the end of the year and could see an even bigger role this fall. Wingo, meanwhile, was thrust into a starting role after [autotag]Maason Smith[/autotag] was lost for the year, ultimately earning All-SEC honors after transferring in from Missouri.

Now, Wingo will be paired up with a healthy Smith in what could be the SEC’s best interior duo.

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NFL Draft scout predicts 2023 Defensive Rookie Team

Will Anderson expected to have massive rookie season and appear on the 2023 Defensive Rookie Team

It is very difficult to find generational pass rushers in the NFL draft, especially given how valuable they have become in the modern game. Fortunately for the Houston Texans, found their guy as they traded up from the No. 12 selection in the 2023 draft to No. 3 to land former Alabama superstar [autotag]Will Anderson[/autotag]. Anderson is a two-time SEC Defensive Player of the Year as well as a two-time Bronko Nagurski Trophy winner which is handed out annually to the top defensive player in college football.

Anderson has all of the talent and tools in the world and could be the defensive piece that the Texans begin to build around for the next decade. Head coach, and former Alabama player, DeMeco Ryans is reportedly incredibly impressed with Anderson and was a big driving force behind their decision to move up.

NFL draft insider, Chad Reuter, is also incredibly high on Anderson and thinks he has a chance to be the best player on the Texans’ defense as a rookie. Reuter projected the 2023 NFL Defensive Rookie Team and the team is headlined by Anderson on the edge.

Reuter says of Anderson, “The highly regarded edge rusher faces a tall task to meet expectations. Though he won’t be the biggest defensive end in the league, the 6-foot-4, 243-pound Anderson can convert speed to power and use his length effectively from a three-point stance. He’ll be a true force as a rookie under head coach DeMeco Ryans if he’s able to mix up his pass-rush moves and consistently turn the corner.”

Anderson is the only Alabama player to make the list, however, former Alabama player, Drew Sanders, makes the list after transferring and spending his final season of college ball with Arkansas.

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PFF ranks Will Anderson as a top 10 player in 2022

Where Does Will Anderson rank in PFF’s Top 101 players of 2022?

After another outstanding year for the Alabama Crimson Tide, Will Anderson Jr. has played himself into contention to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft.

Anderson was a two-time Nagurski Trophy winner which is awarded to the best defensive player in college football in 2021 and 2022. Anderson is only the second back-to-back winner alongside Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald.

Aside from what he did on the field, Anderson was a staple of the Alabama culture and has been continually praised by head coach Nick Saban. He set a standard that young players will have to commit to going forward.

Anderson was recognized as the 8th best player in the country in 2022 according to PFF. He had 14 sacks and 42 hurries on the way to a Sugar Bowl victory for the Tide. He joins Alabama QB Bryce Young in the top ten.

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Alabama’s Will Anderson brings home his second-straight Nagurski Trophy

Alabama’s Will Anderson brings home his second-straight Nagurski Trophy as the nation’s top defensive player.

For the second straight season, Alabama outside linebacker Will Anderson Jr. has brought home the Nagurski Trophy as the nation’s top defensive player.

The Bronko Nagurski Trophy has been presented annually since 1993 to the top defensive player in college football as voted on by the members of the FWAA. The award is named after Bronko Nagurski, who played football for the University of Minnesota.

Anderson defeated Calijah Kancey (Pittsburgh), Chris Smith (Georgia), and Tuli Tuipulotu (USC) by winning the award. Anderson and Jonathan Allen are the only two Alabama players to win the award in program history.

Anderson is just the second player in the history of the Nagurski Trophy to be awarded in consecutive seasons joining Northwestern’s Pat Fitzgerald who won it in 1995 and 1996.

Anderson wracked up 51 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, and 10 sacks in his junior season for the Tide.

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Michigan State football LB Jacoby Windmon named the Nagurski Trophy National Defensive Player of the Week

Jacoby Windmon is your Nagurski Trophy National Defensive Player of the Week

He was already named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week for the third time, and now for the second time this season, Michigan State football linebacker Jacoby Windmon is your Nagurski Trophy National Defensive Player of the Week.

Windmon dominated against Wisconsin and helped will the Spartans to a much-needed win over the Badgers, racking up 11 tackles, two of those coming for a loss, and forcing a fumble and getting an interception of his own.

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