The Football Writers Association of America announced today that defensive lineman Peter Woods has been named as one of 75 candidates on the watch list for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, presented annually to the national defensive player of the year. Additional information from the FWAA is included below.
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DALLAS (FWAA) – The Football Writers Association of America released its 2024 Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List today, selecting 75 defensive standouts from 56 schools in nine Division I FBS conferences plus Independents as contenders for the national defensive player of the year.
The watch list roster includes last year’s winner, Xavier Watts of Notre Dame, plus five other players returning from last season’s FWAA All-America team. Two of the top three tacklers from last season, both All-Americans, are back in the mix along with three of the top five interception leaders and six secondary players who had at least five interceptions last year.
The FWAA and the Charlotte Touchdown Club will announce finalists for the 2024 trophy on Nov. 20 and the winner will be unveiled Dec. 9 at the Bronko Nagurski Awards Banquet in Charlotte, N.C.
Watts, who tied for the national lead with seven interceptions in 2023 as a first-team All-America safety, headlines the All-Americans as the returning honoree. Georgia safety Malaki Starks, a Bronko Nagurski Trophy finalist last season, is also back from the first team following a season where he was Georgia’s fourth-leading tackler and had seven PBU’s. Iowa linebacker Jay Higgins, third in the nation in tackles per game at 12.2, was also on the first team last season.
Two two-time All-Americans top the list as well. Jason Henderson, a two-time All-America linebacker at Old Dominion, is featured returning from the second team along with two-time defensive tackle Howard Cross III of Notre Dame. Liberty safety Brylan Green is the other returning All-American. There are 22 linebackers on the watch list, the most at any position, with Higgins and Henderson leading the way. The ODU senior led the nation in tackles per game last year at 14.2 and is 142 total tackles away from the NCAA record as he heads into the 2024 season. Green, who tied for sixth in the nation with five interceptions last year, is one of 16 safeties, tied for second-most at any position.
Ohio State is tops among all programs with four selections that include one of the…