Alabama linebacker Will Anderson Jr. leads the Nagurski Award Watch List released on July 26.
The Nagurski Award is presented annually to the nation’s best defensive player and is presented by the Charlotte Touchdown Club in partnership with the Football Writers Association of America.
Anderson, the Alabama linebacker who earned consensus All-America status as well as the 2021 Bronko Nagurski Trophy, headlines a trio of returning All-Americans coming off First Team honors. Anderson did it all last year for the College Football Playoff runner-up Crimson Tide, leading the nation in sacks with 17.5 to go with 33.5 tackles for loss and 101 total tackles – 57 solos – in his 15-game season.
Anderson and the Crimson Tide are featured in the 2022 College Football America Yearbook.
The College Football America 2022 Yearbook features more than 900 college football teams from the United States and Canada in more than 250 striking, full-color pages. That includes every team from the NCAA (FBS, FCS, Division II and Division III), NAIA, NJCAA, CCCAA and U Sports (Canada). It also includes dozens of action shots and stadium photos taken by the CFA staff.
2022 Nagurski Award Preseason Watch List
DE Praise Amaewhule, UTEP
LB Darren Anders, Bowling Green
LB Will Anderson Jr., Alabama
DE Felix Anudike-Uzomah, Kansas State
S Jordan Battle, Alabama
DT Keeanu Benton, Wisconsin
DT Bryan Bresee, Clemson
S CJ Brown, NIU
LB Jack Campbell, Iowa
LB Andre Carter, Army
DT Jalen Carter, Georgia
S Grayson Cash, UAB
S Jalen Catalon, Arkansas
DT Elijah Chatman, SMU
LB KD Davis, North Texas
DE Brandon Dorlus, Oregon
LB Dillon Doyle, Baylor
DE Viliami Fehoko, San Jose State
CB Emmanuel Forbes, Mississippi State
DE Isaiah Foskey, Notre Dame
LB Antonio Grier, USF
DE Derick Hall, Auburn
LB Kyle Harmon, San Jose State
DE Zach Harrison, Ohio State
S Xavier Henderson, Michigan State
LB Nick Herbig, Wisconsin
S Ronnie Hickman, Ohio State
DE Jamal Hines, Toledo
CB Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson, TCU
DT Siaki Ika, Baylor
S Tanner Ingle, N.C. State
S Antonio Johnson, Texas A&M
S Quindell Johnson, Memphis
LB Mikel Jones, Syracuse
CB Steven Jones Jr., App State
S Brandon Joseph, Notre Dame
DT Calijah Kancey, Pitt
CB Kyu Blu Kelly, Stanford
S Antavioius Lane, Georgia State
CB Darrell Luter, Jr., South Alabama
LB Carlton Martial, Troy
DE Brock Martin, Oklahoma State
DE Ochaun Mathis, Nebraska
LB Caden McDonald, San Diego State
DE Will McDonald IV, Iowa State
S Patrick McMorris, San Diego State
CB Riley Moss, Iowa
DE Myles Murphy, Clemson
DT Myles Murphy, North Carolina
DT PJ Mustipher, Penn State
DE B.J. Ojulari, LSU
DE Collin Oliver, Oklahoma State
LB DeMarvion Overshown, Texas
S Gervarrius Owens, Houston
LB Deshawn Pace, Cincinnati
LB Ivan Pace, Cincinnati
LB James Patterson, Buffalo
CB Clark Phillips, Utah
LB Bumper Pool, Arkansas
CB Joey Porter, Penn State
CB Eli Ricks, Alabama
CB Kelee Ringo, Georgia
S Jammie Robinson, Florida State
LB Vince Sanford, Air Force
LB Noah Sewell, Oregon
LB Trenton Simpson, Clemson
S JL Skinner, Boise State
CB Cam Smith, South Carolina
LB Nolan Smith, Georgia
DE Javon Solomon, Troy
LB Omar Speights, Oregon State
DE Josiah Stewart, Coastal Carolina
DT Dante Stills, West Virginia
DE Ron, Stone Jr., Washington State
CB D’Jordan Strong, Coastal Carolina
DT Junior Tafuna, Utah
DT Leonard Taylor, Miami
LB Drake Thomas, N.C. State
LB Henry To’oto’o, Alabama
DT Tuli Tuipulotu, USC
LB Payton Wilgar, BYU
S Evan Williams, Fresno State
S Divaad Wilson, UCF
S Rashad Wisdom, UTSA
CB Charles Woods, West Virginia
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