Oklahoma, Texas well represented in defensive college football watch lists
By Brian Spaen
The Big 12 is well represented on college football award watch lists that recognize the best on the defensive side of the ball. These watch lists show that Oklahoma, Texas, and TCU are all loaded in that category.
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A total of 13 players in the Big 12 are on the Bronko Nagurski Award watch list, nine players made the Outland Trophy list, and three of them made the Jim Thorpe Award watch list. Of the 25 conference candidates, 16 of them are from the Sooners, Longhorns, and Horned Frogs.
None of the Iowa State defensive players made these lists.
Malcom Brown and Quandre Diggs from Texas are notable and have landed on two of these watch lists. Chucky Hunter of TCU and Zack Sanchez of Oklahoma also landed on a couple of them.
Bronko Nagurski Award – Given to college football’s top defensive player. This is the 21st year the award is being handed out.
- Malcom Brown (Texas)
- Sam Carter (TCU)
- Quandre Diggs (Texas)
- Devonte Fields (TCU)
- Bryce Hager (Baylor)
- Ben Heeney (Kansas)
- Chucky Hunter (TCU)
- Ryan Mueller (Kansas State)
- Shawn Oakman (Baylor)
- Cedric Reed (Texas)
- Zack Sanchez (Oklahoma)
- Eric Striker (Oklahoma)
- Charles Tapper (Oklahoma)
Outland Trophy – Given to college football’s best interior linemen. This is the 68th year the award is being handed out.
- Le’Raven Clarke (Texas Tech)
- Spencer Drango (Baylor)
- Daryl Williams (Oklahoma)
- Quinton Spain (West Virginia)
- Dominic Espinosa (Texas)
- B.J. Finney (Kansas State)
- Malcom Brown (Texas)
- Chucky Hunter (TCU)
- Cody Whitehair (Kansas State)
Jim Thorpe Award – Given to college football’s best defensive back. This is the 29th year the award is being handed out.
- Zack Sanchez (Oklahoma)
- Sam Carter (TCU)
- Quandre Diggs (Texas)