LAWRENCE, Kan. – Following a record-setting performance in Kansas' 42-14 victory over Houston, Kansas senior cornerback Cobee Bryant was named the Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week, the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) announced on Tuesday.
Bryant's record-setting day included tying the single-game school record with three interceptions, while adding three tackles (two solo, one assist) and one tackle-for-loss. Bryant's three interceptions matched the Kansas school record and was the first three interception performance by a Jayhawk since 1958, when Bill Crank accomplished the feat on Oct. 25, 1958, vs. Tulane.
Bryant is now just the seventh Big 12 player to accomplish the feat in a conference game and the first since Allen Chapman did it for Kansas State in 2012.
For his efforts, Bryant was named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week for the third time in his career on Monday. He was also chosen as the East-West Shrine Bowl Breakout Defensive Player of the Week and the Reese's Senior Bowl Co-Defensive Player of the Week.
A native of Evergreen, Alabama, Bryant entered the game with 10 career interceptions, which was tied for fifth in school history. With each interception he climbed another spot on the all-time chart. He is now tied for the second most in school history with Aqib Talib, who also had 13 career interceptions at Kansas from 2005-07. Bryant is also tied for the most career interceptions among active FBS players, sharing the top spot with California's Nohl Williams.
Prior to the season, Bryant was one of 75 defensive standouts named to the 2024 Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List. He has since recorded four interceptions, which is tied for the Big 12 lead and ranks second nationally, while also totaling 23 tackles (16 solo, 7 assist), 2.0 tackles for loss, four passes defended and one forced fumble.
Each week during the regular season, the FWAA has selected a Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week since 2001. The FWAA and the Charlotte Touchdown Club will announce finalists for the 2024 Bronko Nagurski Trophy on Nov. 20. The national defensive player of the year will be chosen from those finalists who are part of the 2024 FWAA All-America Team and presented with the trophy at the Bronko Nagurski Awards Banquet presented by Coca-Cola Consolidated on Dec. 9 at the Charlotte Convention Center.