Kansas senior cornerback Cobee Bryant was one of 75 defensive standouts named to the 2024 Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List, which was announced Tuesday by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA).
The Bronko Nagurski Trophy honors the National Defensive Player of the Year. The FWAA has chosen the winner since 1993, and in 1995 they named the award in honor of the legendary two-way player from the University of Minnesota. Nagurski dominated college football, then became a star for professional football’s Chicago Bears in the 1930’s. Bronislaw “Bronko” Nagurski is a charter member of both the College Football and Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Bryant becomes the fourth Jayhawk named to a preseason watch list, joining quarterback Jalon Daniels and running back Devin Neal, who were selected to the Maxwell Award Watch List, and long snapper Luke Hosford, who earned a spot on the Patrick Mannelly Award Watch List on Monday.
A native of Evergreen, Alabama, Bryant is a preseason All-Big 12 selection in 2024 after earning All-Big 12 First Team honors in each of the past two seasons. He has become the first Kansas defensive back to earn first team all-conference honors in consecutive seasons since Aqib Talib in 2006-07. Bryant finished the 2023 season with 32 tackles, 4 interceptions and 9 pass breakups. He enters his senior season tied for eighth in school history with nine interceptions and his two career interceptions returned for a touchdown are tied for the school record.
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. 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.
Players may be added or removed from the watch list during the course of the season. 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 Bronko Nagurski Trophy is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA). Founded in 1997, the NCFAA includes college football’s most prestigious awards, and its 24 awards have honored more than 900 recipients dating back to 1935. This season, 12 NCFAA awards will honor national players of the week each Tuesday.
2024 Kansas Football Preseason Watch Lists:
Maxwell Award – QB Jalon Daniels, RB Devin Neal
Patrick Mannelly Award – LS Luke Hosford
Bronko Nagurski Award – CB Cobee Bryant