On Tuesday morning, Miami Hurricanes CB Michael Jackson, S Jaquan Johnson, and LB Shaquille Quarterman were all named to the 2018 Nagurski Trophy watchlist.

A senior from Birmingham, AL, Jackson is among the best players at his position in the country. He had 43 tackles, 3 TFL, 1 sack, 4 INT, 4 PBU, and 1 FR in 2017. Jackson will look to raise his game higher in 2018.

A senior from Miami, FL, Johnson is the best returning S in America. He filled the stat sheet with 96 tackles, 3 TFL, 1 sack, 4 INT, 1 INT-TD, 4 PBU, 3 FF, and 2 FR in 2017. No matter how you slice it, that’s an elite season. Johnson has been the heart and soul of Miami’s defense for years, and looks to finally earn the national recognition that he’s due.

A junior from Orange Park, FL, Quarterman has started every game in his college career. He burst on the scene with a solid 2016 season, and nearly replicated those stats in 2017. Quarterman ended the year with 83 tackles, 7 TFL, 2.5 sacks, 5 PBU, and 1 FR in 13 games.

Each of these 3 players will be key to Miami’s success in 2018, and have rightfully earned this recognition. If any of these players were to win this award, they would join Miami Hurricanes stars from the past with this recognition. DT Warren Sapp won the Nagurski in 1994, and LB Dan Morgan won the Nagurski in 2000.

The annual Bronko Nagurski Trophy Banquet, presented by ACN, will be held on Dec. 3 at the Charlotte Convention Center. In addition to the 2018 Bronko Nagurski Trophy winner’s announcement, the banquet will also celebrate the recipient of the Bronko Nagurski Legends Award. Ohio State linebacker Tom Cousineau, a member of the FWAA’s 1977 All-America team and a College Football Hall of Famer, will be honored. Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh will be the keynote speaker at the banquet.

The FWAA has chosen a National Defensive Player of the Year since 1993. In 1995, the FWAA 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 1930s. Bronislaw “Bronko” Nagurski is a charter member of both the College Football and Pro Football Halls of Fame.

The Bronko Nagurski Trophy is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. Founded in 1997, the NCFAA and its 24 awards now boast over 800 recipients, dating to 1935. Visit ncfaa.org to learn more about the NCFAA.

Go Canes