Corbin Kaufusi on 2018 Bronko Nagurski Trophy watch list

DALLAS – The Football Writers Association of America named BYU senior defensive lineman Corbin Kaufusi to the 2018 Bronko Nagurski Trophy watch list Tuesday morning.

The FWAA selected 97 defensive standouts from 61 schools in all 10 Division I FBS conferences on a roster that includes three returning players from last season's FWAA All-America team.

Kaufusi led the Cougars with 6.0 sacks in 2017 to go along with his 67 total tackles. The 6-foot-9, 280-pounder also forced two fumbles and blocked one kick last season. His older brother, Bronson Kaufusi, was a 2015 Nagurski Trophy watch list honoree and is currently playing in the NFL for the Baltimore Ravens.
 
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 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. The FWAA and the Charlotte Touchdown Club will announce five finalists for the 2018 Bronko Nagurski Trophy on Nov. 14.

The Bronko Nagurski Trophy winner will be chosen from those five finalists. The FWAA All-America Committee, after voting input from the association's full membership, selects a 26-man All-America Team and eventually the Nagurski Trophy finalists. Committee members, by individual ballot, select the winner they regard as the best defensive player in college football.
 
This year's watch list includes at least four players from each of the 10 FBS conferences. The SEC (16) leads the 97-member list with the Big Ten (15) right behind. The ACC (13) and Pac-12 (12) also have double-digit representation, followed by the Big 12 (9), American Athletic and Mountain West (7), Conference USA and Independents (5), and the Mid-American and Sun Belt (4).

 The list includes 27 backs, 26 linebackers, 24 ends and 20 tackles.