The FWAA announced today that Clemson defensive tackle Tyler Davis and linebacker James Skalski have been named to the watch list for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, while Davis and offensive tackle Jackson Carman have been named to the Outland Trophy watch list. Full watch lists and additional information from the FWAA are included below.
2020 NAGURSKI TROPHY WATCH LIST UNVEILED
James Skalski & Tyler Davis named to Nagurski watch list! 🏆🐅🐾🗞 https://t.co/SFVU7qWmpj pic.twitter.com/zfl3DsjVWa— Clemson Football (@ClemsonFB) July 21, 2020
James Skalski & Tyler Davis named to Nagurski watch list! 🏆🐅🐾
🗞 https://t.co/SFVU7qWmpj pic.twitter.com/zfl3DsjVWa
— Clemson Football (@ClemsonFB) July 21, 2020
DALLAS (FWAA) – The Football Writers Association of America, in conjunction with the Charlotte Touchdown Club, released its preseason watch list for the 2020 Bronko Nagurski Trophy presented by LendingTree today, selecting 98 defensive standouts from 66 schools in all 10 Division I FBS conferences plus independents on a roster that includes five returning players from last season’s FWAA All-America team and one from 2018.
Two of the nation’s returning sack leaders, Miami defensive end Gregory Rousseau and Oregon State linebacker Hamilcar Rashed Jr., headline the list from among the six returning FWAA All-America selections: LSU cornerback Derek Stingley Jr., who tied for fifth in the nation with six interceptions last season, Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons, Pitt defensive tackle Jaylen Twyman and Stanford cornerback Paulson Adebo, who was on the second team in 2018.
Seven schools are tied with three representatives each, including Pitt, which in addition to Twyman has defensive end Patrick Jones and safety Paris Ford to lead the Atlantic Coast Conference’s 17 players that top the conference totals and hail from 11 of its 14 schools. Defending national champion LSU has defensive tackle Tyler Shelvin and safety JaCoby Stevens in its trio alongside Stingley Jr., and Alabama and Georgia also have three players as part of the Southeastern Conference’s crew of 15. Oregon, USC and Washington also have trios on the list from among the Pac-12’s 13 players that also includes Washington State’s Jahad Woods, fourth in the nation in tackles last season with 141.
There are 18 schools with teammates on the list and 15 players return from last season’s watch list. National runner-up Clemson has defensive tackle Tyler Davis and linebacker James Skalski listed. Penn State has defensive end Shaka Toney in addition to its All-American Parsons, and Miami adds Quincy Roche, a transfer from Temple, to its pairing with All-American Rousseau. Ohio State cornerback Shaun Wade and Oklahoma defensive end Ronnie Perkins made the list from last year’s other College Football Playoff teams. Western Michigan linebacker Treshaun Hawyard, the nation’s top returning tackle leader (142), is one of the Mid-American Conference’s five members.
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. The FWAA and the Charlotte Touchdown Club will announce five finalists for the 2020 Bronko Nagurski Trophy.
The winner of the 2020 Bronko Nagurski Trophy presented by LendingTree as the National Defensive Player of the Year will be chosen from those five finalists. 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. Committee members, by individual ballot, select the winner they regard as the best defensive player in college football.
This year’s watch list includes at least four players from all 10 FBS conferences plus three from the independents. The ACC led the conference list with 17 with the SEC (15) just behind, making up almost one-third of the list. The Pac-12 (13), Big 12 (12) and Big Ten (10) also have double-digit representation, followed by Conference USA (7), the American Athletic (6), Sun Belt (6), Mid-American (5), Mountain West (4) and Independents (3). The list includes 31 linebackers, 28 backs, 23 ends and 16 tackles.
DB Paulson Adebo, StanfordLB Blaze Alldredge, RiceLB Rayshard Ashby, Virginia TechDE JaQuan Bailey, Iowa StateDE Carlos Basham, Wake ForestLB Tavante Beckett, MarshallLB Terrel Bernard, BaylorDB Reed Blakenship, Middle TennesseeLB Nick Bolton, MissouriLB K.J. Britt, AuburnLB Troy Brown, Central MichiganDE Big Kat Bryant, AuburnDB Eric Burrell, WisconsinDB Andre Cisco, SyracuseDT Tyler Davis, ClemsonDE Victor Dimukeje, DukeDB Greg Eisworth, Iowa StateLB Diego Fagot, NavyDB Caleb Farley, Virginia TechLB Paddy Fisher, NorthwesternDB Paris Ford, PittDB Darrick Forrest, CincinnatiDE Chauncey Golston, IowaDB Richie Grant, UCFLB Jake Hansen, IllinoisDB Kolby Harvell-Peel, Oklahoma StateLB Treshaun Hayward, Western MichiganDB Jevon Holland, OregonDE Wyatt Hubert, Kansas StateDB Talanoa Hufanga, USCDE Drake Jackson, USCDE Tarron Jackson, Coastal CarolinaLB Buddy Johnson, Texas A&MDE Raymond Johnson III, Georgia SouthernDB Shaun Jolly, Appalachian StateDE Patrick Jones, PittDB Kekaula Kaniho, Boise StateDE George Karlaftis, PurdueDE Malcolm Koonce, BuffaloLB Nate Landman, ColoradoDB Richard LeCounte, GeorgiaDT Ifeanyi Maijeh, TempleDE DeAngelo Malone, WKULB Carlton Martial, TroyDB Trevon Moehrig, TCUDB Elijah Molden, WashingtonLB Kristopher Moll, UABLB Dylan Moses, AlabamaDB Hamsah Nasirildeen, Florida StateDT Lorenzo Neal, PurdueDT Dion Novil, North TexasDT Levi Onwuzurike, WashingtonLB Joseph Ossai, TexasLB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Notre DameLB Micah Parsons, Penn StateDE Kwity Paye, MichiganDE Ronnie Perkins, OklahomaDE Dom Peterson, NevadaDB Antonio Phillips, Ball StateLB Hamilcar Rashed Jr., Oregon StateDT LaBryan Ray, AlabamaLB Justin Rice, Fresno StateLB Monty Rice, GeorgiaLB Max Richardson, Boston CollegeDE Taylor Riggins, BuffaloDB Aaron Robinson, UCFDE Quincy Roche, MiamiDE Gregory Rousseau, MiamiDT Jordon Scott, OregonDT Tyler Shelvin, LSULB James Skalski, ClemsonDE Jordan Smith, UABLB Charles Snowden, VirginiaDB Caden Sterns, TexasDB JaCoby Stevens, LSUDT Dante Stills, West VirginiaDT Darius Stills, West VirginiaDB Derek Stingley Jr., LSUDB Eric Stokes, GeorgiaDB Corey Straughter, ULMLB Chazz Surratt, North CarolinaDB Patrick Surtain II, AlabamaDE Demetrius Taylor, Appalachian StateDE Kayvon Thibodeaux, OregonDT Cameron Thomas, San Diego StateLB Henry To’o To’o, TennesseeDE Shaka Toney, Penn StateDT Khyiris Tonga, BYULB Joe Tryon, WashingtonDT Jay Tufele, USCDT Jaylen Twyman, PittDB Shaun Wade, Ohio StateLB Garret Wallow, TCULB Drew White, Notre DameDT Kobie Whiteside, MissouriDB James Wiggins, CincinnatiDT Marvin Wilson, Florida StateLB Jahad Woods, Washington State
By conference: ACC 17, SEC 15, Pac-12 13, Big 12 12, Big Ten 10, Conference USA 7, American Athletic 6, Sun Belt 6, Mid-American 5, Mountain West 4, Independents 3.By position: Linebackers 31, Backs 28, Ends 23, Tackles 16.
2020 OUTLAND TROPHY WATCH LIST UNVEILED
Tyler Davis & Jackson Carman named to Outland Trophy watch list! 🏆🐅🐾🗞 https://t.co/SFVU7qWmpj pic.twitter.com/K1m0959juf— Clemson Football (@ClemsonFB) July 21, 2020
Tyler Davis & Jackson Carman named to Outland Trophy watch list! 🏆🐅🐾
🗞 https://t.co/SFVU7qWmpj pic.twitter.com/K1m0959juf
DALLAS (FWAA) — The Football Writers Association of America has announced the preseason watch list for the 2020 Outland Trophy, recognizing 85 standout interior linemen representing all 10 Division I FBS conferences and independents. This is the 75th anniversary season for the Outland Trophy and the watch list presents a diverse field of players to accompany the return of 2019 Outland Trophy winner, offensive tackle Penei Sewell of Oregon.
Sewell, a junior, is the only returning lineman among the 2019 Outland Trophy semifinalists and 2019 FWAA All-Americans. He became Oregon’s first Outland Trophy winner last season and was the third consecutive sophomore to receive this prestigious award. The 6-6, 325-pound junior from Malaeimi, American Samoa and then Desert Hills High School in St. George, Utah, emerged as a dominant left tackle for the 2020 Rose Bowl champions and did not allow a sack last season. He had eight games without allowing a pressure, hit or hurry on the quarterback, and in 466 pass-blocking snaps allowed only seven quarterback pressures.
The Alabama Crimson Tide top the watch list with four selections – guards Deonte Brown and Landon Dickerson, offensive tackle Alex Leatherwood and defensive tackle LaBryan Ray – with Notre Dame and Ohio State posting three players each. Notre Dame’s three representatives are all on offense – center Jarrett Patterson, guard Aaron Banks and 2019 watch list member Liam Eichenberg. The SEC leads the conference totals with 14 – defending national champion LSU has defensive tackle Tyler Shelvin, Tennessee offers a guard pair with Cade Mays and Trey Smith, and Kentucky has center Drake Jackson and offensive tackle Darian Kinnard. The Big Ten has 12 players, buoyed by a trio of Ohio State offensive linemen – center Josh Myers, guard Wyatt Davis and tackle Thayer Munford – to go with teammates from Illinois, Iowa and Michigan.
Pitt is one of 17 schools to have a pair of players on the list, as defensive tackle Jaylen Twyman led the nation’s interior linemen last season with 10.5 sacks and center Jimmy Morrissey is among 13 players who return from the 2019 watch list. Clemson, the national runner-up, offers a pair of tackles in Jackson Carman on offense and Tyler Davis on defense, part of the ACC’s nine entries that also includes Boston College guard Zion Johnson and offensive tackle Ben Petrula, linemen who led the nation’s eighth-best rushing attack last year.
The Pac-12 is third among the conference totals with 11 as defensive tackle Jordon Scott joins Sewell from Oregon, Stanford has center Drew Dalman and offensive Walker Little, and USC has defensive tackle Jay Tufele and offensive guard Alijah Vera-Tucker. Oklahoma center Creed Humphrey and offensive tackle Adrian Ealy guided one of last season’s College Football Playoff teams and top-five total offense units up front.
West Virginia is the only team to have multiple defensive players on the list with the brother defensive tackle tandem of Dante and Darius Stills, part of the Big 12’s six entries. BYU, Western Michigan, Air Force and Appalachian State also have double representation on the list.
The recipient of the 75th Outland Trophy will be announced in early December. The official presentation to the winner will be made in Omaha, Neb., at the Outland Trophy Awards Dinner sponsored by Werner Enterprises and produced by the Greater Omaha Sports Committee, scheduled for Jan. 13, 2021.
Watch list candidates may be added or removed during the season. The distribution of watch list candidates is spread well among the conferences – behind the 14 from the SEC and 12 from the Big Ten are the Pac-12 with 11 and the Atlantic Coast (9), followed by the Mountain West (7), Big 12 (6), the Independents (6), and the American Athletic, Conference USA, Mid-American and Sun Belt with five each. The list includes 32 offensive tackles, 21 offensive guards, 17 defensive tackles and 15 centers.
G Jack Anderson, Texas TechG Blaise Andries, MinnesotaOT Kayode Awosika, BuffaloG Aaron Banks, Notre DameG Deonte Brown, AlabamaG Mike Caliendo, Western MichiganOT Jackson Carman, ClemsonOT Larnel Coleman, MassachusettsOT Sam Cosmi, TexasOT Coy Cronk, IowaC Keegan Cryder, WyomingOT Jake Curhan, CaliforniaC Drew Dalman, StanfordOT Christian Darrisaw, Virginia TechDT Tyler Davis, ClemsonG Wyatt Davis, Ohio StateOT D’Antne Demery, FIUG Landon Dickerson, AlabamaOT Tommy Doyle, Miami (Ohio)G Corey Dublin, TulaneOT Adrian Ealy, OklahomaOT Liam Eichenberg, Notre DameC James Empey, BYUOT Parker Ferguson, Air ForceC Jaelin Fisher, CharlotteG Shamarious Gilmore, Georgia StateG Kendrick Green, IllinoisG Kenyon Green, Texas A&MC Noah Hannon, Appalachian StateC Bryce Harris, ToledoC Trey Hill, GeorgiaOT Jarrett Horst, Arkansas StateC Creed Humphrey, OklahomaG Baer Hunter, Appalachian StateOT Sadarius Hutcherson, South CarolinaOT Alaric Jackson, IowaC Drake Jackson, KentuckyG Zion Johnson, Boston CollegeOT Darian Kinnard, KentuckyOT Brandon Kipper, Oregon StateG Nolan Laufenberg, Air ForceOT Alex Leatherwood, AlabamaOT Walker Little, StanfordOT Abraham Lucas, Washington StateG Cain Madden, MarshallDT Ifeanyi Maijeh, TempleOT Ilm Manning, Hawai’iOT Jalen Mayfield, MichiganG Cade Mays, TennesseeOT Dan Moore, Texas A&MOT Jaylon Moore, Western MichiganC Jimmy Morrissey, PittOT Thayer Munford, Ohio StateC Josh Myers, Ohio StateDT Lorenzo Neal, PurdueDT Dion Novil, North TexasDT Levi Onwuzurike, WashingtonOT Alex Palczewski, IllinoisC Dylan Parham, MemphisC Jarrett Patterson, Notre DameDT Dom Peterson, NevadaOT Ben Petrula, Boston CollegeDT LaBryan Ray, AlabamaC Kody Russey, Louisiana TechOT Teton Saltes, New MexicoG Cole Schneider, UCFDT Jordon Scott, OregonOT Penei Sewell, OregonDT Tyler Shelvin, LSUOT Rashawn Slater, NorthwesternG Trey Smith, TennesseeDT Dante Stills, West VirginiaDT Cameron Thomas, San Diego StateOT Jaylon Thomas, SMUDT Khyiris Tonga, BYUG O’Cyrus Torrence, LouisianaDT Jay Tufele, USCDT Jaylen Twyman, PittOT Cole Van Lanen, WisconsinG Alijah Vera-Tucker, USCG Dohnovan West, Arizona StateDT Kobie Whiteside, MissouriDT Marvin Wilson, Florida StateC Jack Wohlabaugh, Duke
By conference: SEC 14, Big Ten 12, Pac-12 11, ACC 9, Mountain West 7, Big 12 6, Independents 6, American Athletic 5, Conference USA 5, Mid-American 5, Sun Belt 5.By position: Offensive Tackles 32, Offensive Guards 21, Defensive Tackles 17, Centers 15.
About the National College Football Awards AssociationThe Bronko Nagurski Trophy and the Outland Trophy are members of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which encompasses college football’s most prestigious awards. Founded in 1997, the NCFAA and its 25 awards now boast over 800 recipients, dating to 1935. Visit ncfaa.org to learn more about the association.
The members of the NCFAA are unveiling their preseason watch lists over a two-week period this month. Fourteen of the association’s awards select a preseason watch list and the NCFAA has spearheaded a coordinated effort to promote each award’s preseason candidates. Following is the complete 2020 preseason watch list calendar: