Wisconsin safety Hunter Wohler was included on the 2024 Bronko Nagurski Trophy watch list on Tuesday.
Wohler joins long snapper Cayson Pfieffer as current Badgers to earn preseason watch list recognition. Since 1993, the Nagurski Trophy has recognized the best defensive player in college football.
Notable recent winners include Notre Dameโs Xavier Watts (2023), Alabamaโs Will Anderson Jr. (2021-22), Ohio State’s Chase Young (2019), Kentucky’s Josh Allen (2018) and NC Stateโs Bradley Chubb (2017).
The 2024 batch of contenders includes 75 defensive players spread across 56 schools in nine Division I FBS conferences. Nine Big Ten schools are represented by the 16 Big Ten defenders to make the list. Ohio State, Iowa, Michigan and Oregon own 11 of those 16 spots.
Wohler enters his fourth season in Madison after registering his most dominant statistical season in 2023. The Muskego, Wisconsin native led all Big Ten defensive backs with 120 total tackles and 74 solo tackles.
That production led to First team All-Big Ten (AP) nods and a Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week award after recording 10 tackles and two interceptions against Georgia Southern on Sept. 18.
HUNT. ๐ค@HunterWohler is on the @NagurskiTrophy watchlist for ๐๐จ๐ฉ ๐๐๐๐๐ง๐ฌ๐ข๐ฏ๐ ๐๐ฅ๐๐ฒ๐๐ซ in college football. pic.twitter.com/jHArw06huV
— Wisconsin Football (@BadgerFootball) July 30, 2024
Wohler will undoubtedly serve as one of Wisconsin’s most crucial players this fall. In an expanded 18-team conference littered with offensive talent, the Badgers’ safety will have his hands full.
Opportunities on the national stage can catapult Wohler up these types of lists and into earlier rounds in the 2025 NFL draft.
UW will begin its season on Aug, 30 against Western Michigan.