Boston College Athletics
Photo by: John Quackenbos
2018 Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List Unveiled
July 24, 2018 | Football
BC standouts Zach Allen and Lukas Denis named to the list
CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. – The Football Writers Association of America released its 2018 Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List today, selecting 97 defensive standouts from 61 schools in all 10 Division I FBS conferences on a roster that includes three returning players from last season's FWAA All-America team.
Boston College is represented by two senior standouts: defensive end Zach Allen and defensive back Lukas Denis. Both players have collected various preseason All-America honors heading into the season.
Former BC standout Luke Kuechly won the Bronko Nagurski Award in 2011.
Allen captured Phil Steele Preseason All-America second-team accolades after one of the most dominating seasons by a defensive lineman a year ago. The New Canaan, Conn., native was just one of two defensive linemen nationally with 100 or more tackles in 2017. He finished the year with 100 tackles and led BC with six sacks and tied for 10th in BC single-season history with 15.5 TFLs. Allen was the recipient of the 79th annual George "Bulger" Lowe Award, "New England's Heisman Trophy" and one of America's oldest college football accolades last season.
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Denis was named a Preseason All-American by The Sporting News, Phil Steele and Athlon going into the 2018 season while also being named to the watch list for the Bednarik Award and the Jim Thorpe Award. The Everett, Mass., native was a Walter Camp Foundation All-American (second team) in 2017 as he tied for second nationally with seven interceptions. An All-ACC second-team selection, Denis was a key member of a BC defense that ranked 12th nationally in interceptions and third in pass efficiency defense.
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 2017 Bronko Nagurski Trophy on Nov. 14.
The Bronko Nagurski Trophy winner 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 each of the 10 FBS conferences. The SEC (16) leads the 97-member list with the Big Ten (15) right behind. The ACC (13) and Pac-12 (12) also have double-digit representation, followed by the Big 12 (9), American Athletic and Mountain West (7), Conference USA and Independents (5), and the Mid-American and Sun Belt (4).
The list includes 27 backs, 26 linebackers, 24 ends and 20 tackles.
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Boston College is represented by two senior standouts: defensive end Zach Allen and defensive back Lukas Denis. Both players have collected various preseason All-America honors heading into the season.
Former BC standout Luke Kuechly won the Bronko Nagurski Award in 2011.
Allen captured Phil Steele Preseason All-America second-team accolades after one of the most dominating seasons by a defensive lineman a year ago. The New Canaan, Conn., native was just one of two defensive linemen nationally with 100 or more tackles in 2017. He finished the year with 100 tackles and led BC with six sacks and tied for 10th in BC single-season history with 15.5 TFLs. Allen was the recipient of the 79th annual George "Bulger" Lowe Award, "New England's Heisman Trophy" and one of America's oldest college football accolades last season.
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Denis was named a Preseason All-American by The Sporting News, Phil Steele and Athlon going into the 2018 season while also being named to the watch list for the Bednarik Award and the Jim Thorpe Award. The Everett, Mass., native was a Walter Camp Foundation All-American (second team) in 2017 as he tied for second nationally with seven interceptions. An All-ACC second-team selection, Denis was a key member of a BC defense that ranked 12th nationally in interceptions and third in pass efficiency defense.
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 2017 Bronko Nagurski Trophy on Nov. 14.
The Bronko Nagurski Trophy winner 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 each of the 10 FBS conferences. The SEC (16) leads the 97-member list with the Big Ten (15) right behind. The ACC (13) and Pac-12 (12) also have double-digit representation, followed by the Big 12 (9), American Athletic and Mountain West (7), Conference USA and Independents (5), and the Mid-American and Sun Belt (4).
The list includes 27 backs, 26 linebackers, 24 ends and 20 tackles.
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Players Mentioned
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