clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Mountain West Lands Three on Nagurski Trophy Watch List

Eighty-one players made the cut for this Defensive Player of the Year honor, but one could argue a couple of deserving Mountain West athletes are missing.

The Bronco Nagurski Trophy released its own list of 81 players to watch in 2014 but, astoundingly, just three hail from the Mountain West.

Each of the players in contention for the Nagurski Trophy were part of the two defenses that squared off in last season's MWC championship:  Fresno State defensive end Tyeler Davison and free safety Derron Smith, and Utah State linebacker Kyler Fackrell.  Davison, a second-team all-MWC selection in 2013, makes his first appearance in the watch list parade after a season in which he recorded 41 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss and two sacks.  The numbers may not jump off the page, but it is Davison's efforts that allow the Bulldogs' linebackers to pursue the quarterback with abandon.

As for Smith and Fackrell, it's another day and another watch list.  Both were named to the Bednarik Trophy list yesterday, and Smith was also named to the Lott IMPACT Trophy list back in May.