Today, the Football Writers Association of America released its 2026 Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List selecting 68 defensive standouts as contenders for the national defensive player of the year. Their list includes players from 47 different schools and all 10 Division I FBS conferences plus independents.
Two names that Tigers’ fans will recognize are LSU LB Whit Weeks and DE Princewill Umanmielen. Weeks was also on the 2025 list.
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 Bronko Nagurski 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.
Following is the complete 2026 Bronko Nagurski Trophy Preseason Watch List:
DE Melkart Abou Jaoude, North Carolina
LB Rolijah Hardy, Indiana
CB Ty Redmond, Tennessee
LB Xavier Atkins, Auburn
S Simeon Harris, Fresno State
LB Ben Roberts, Texas Tech
LB Rasheem Biles, Texas
DT A.J. Holmes Jr., Texas Tech
LB Kam Robinson, Virginia
S KJ Bolden, Georgia
LB Baron Hopson, Kennesaw State
LB Matt Rose, Stanford
LB Drayk Bowen, Notre Dame
S Bray Hubbard, Alabama
S Faletau Satuala, BYU
LB Sammy Brown, Clemson
DE Kenyatta Jackson Jr., Ohio State
DE Colin Simmons, Texas
LB Taye Brown, Arizona
CB Will James, Houston
DE Anthony Smith, Minnesota
CB Zabien Brown, Alabama
S Jamel Johnson, TCU
DE Donnie Smith, Troy
DT Kemari Copeland, Virginia Tech
LB Isaiah Jones, Indiana
DE Dylan Stewart, South Carolina
DE John Henry Daley, Michigan
CB Kelley Jones, Mississippi State
DT David Stone, Oklahoma
DT CJ Doggette Jr., Florida Atlantic
DE Dylan LaBarbera, Nevada
DE MJ Stroud, Georgia Southern
DT Will Echoles, Ole Miss
LB Kip Lewis, Oklahoma
S Jack Tchienchou, Tulane
LB Jaxton Eck, New Mexico
S Bryce Llewellyn, Eastern Michigan
DT Boubacar Traore, Notre Dame
S Koen Entringer, Louisville
DE Clev Lubin, Louisville
DT Tyrique Tucker, Indiana
CB Tre’Quon Fegans, Jax State
S Zach Lutmer, Iowa
LB Cade Uluave, BYU
S Amare Ferrell, Indiana
S Jaylen McClain, Ohio State
DE Princewill Umanmielen, LSU
CB Brandon Finney Jr., Oregon
CB Leonard Moore, Notre Dame
DE Jayden Virgin-Morgan, Boise State
DT C.J. Fite, Arizona State
DT Ahmad Moten Sr., Miami
DT A’Mauri Washington, Oregon
S Bryce Fitzgerald, Miami
S Koi Perich, Oregon
LB Whit Weeks, LSU
LB Blake Fletcher, Air Force
LB Suntarine Perkins, Ole Miss
LB Raylen Wilson, Georgia
NB Josh Franklin, Western Michigan
LB Colton Phares, App State
DE Damon Wilson II, Miami
LB Isaiah Glasker, BYU
CB Brice Pollock, Texas Tech
LB Daniel Wingate, Maryland
S Brevin Hamblin, Utah State
S Marcus Ratcliffe, Texas A&M
The FWAA All-America Committee, after voting input from the association’s full membership, selects a 26-man All-America Team and eventually the Bronko Nagurski Trophy finalists. Committee members, by individual ballot, select the winner they regard as the best defensive player in college football.
The FWAA and the Charlotte Touchdown Club will announce the finalists for the 2026 trophy on November 19th. The official presentation to the recipient of the 2026 Bronko Nagurski Trophy will be at the Bronko Nagurski Awards Banquet in Charlotte, N.C. on December 7th.
