On Tuesday, the Football Writers Associaton of America released its 2024 Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List, with 75 defenders from 56 schools being named as contenders for the total of National Defensive Player of the Year.
According to a release, the FWAA and the Charlotte Touchdown Club will announce the finalists for the award on November 20. The winner will be unveiled at the Bronko Nagurski Awards Banquet on December 9.
Headlined by last year’s winner, Xavier Watts of Notre Dame, the watch list also includes two of the top three tacklers in the nation a season ago, as well as three of the top five interception leaders and six defensive backs who recorded at least five interceptions a season ago.
According to the FWAA, the SEC leads all conferences with 19 selections to the watchlist, followed by the Big Ten with 16 players. The Big 12 ranks third among all conferences with 12 players on the listx.
“As a list by conference, beyond the SEC and Big Ten are a dozen players from the Big 12,” the release reads. “Oklahoma State’s premier linebacking pair of Nick Martin and Collin Oliver are on the list – Martin was 15th nationally in total tackles last year with 10.0 per game – and Big 12 newcomer Arizona also has a duo in cornerback Tacario Davis and linebacker Jacob Manu.
“Much-heralded cornerback Travis Hunter of Colorado makes the list, and Iowa State lists both its safeties in Jeremiah Cooper, who had five picks last year, and Beau Freyler. Utah’s Junior Tafuna is regarded as one of the country’s best defensive tackles.”
2024 BRONKO NAGURSKI PRESEASON WATCH LIST (BIG 12)
- DE Tyler Batty, BYU
- CB Cobee Bryant, Kansas
- S Jeremiah Cooper, Iowa State
- DT Dontay Corleone, Cincinnati
- CB Tacario Davis, Arizona
- S Beau Freyler, Iowa State
- DT Lee Hunter, UCF
- CB Travis Hunter, Colorado
- LB Jacob Manu, Arizona
- LB Nick Martin, Oklahoma State
- LB Collin Oliver, Oklahoma State
- DT Junior Tafuna, Utah
