Alabama Football’s Davis, Diggs, Jennings and Moses Named to Nagurski Trophy Watch List

Alabama football’s Raekwon Davis, Trevon Diggs, Anfernee Jennings and Dylan Moses have been named to the 2019 Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List announced today by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA).

The quartette are among 92 candidates from around the country named to the preseason list for Nagurski, recognizing the nation’s top defensive player. Jonathan Allen is the Crimson Tide’s lone recipient, collecting the honors in 2016.

An imposing presence along the defensive line, Davis passed up on the NFL Draft to return for his final season at the Capstone. The senior brings a wealth of experience along the Crimson Tide defensive front, playing in 36 career games with 20 starts. He has totaled 128 tackles, including 16.5 for a loss (-96 yards) to go with 11 sacks (-68 yards), and has added eight quarterback hurries in his three seasons in Tuscaloosa.

A veteran in the Tide secondary, Diggs passed up on the NFL Draft to return for his senior season. He has seen time in 34 career games with seven starts, including six starts a season ago before suffering a foot injury that kept him out for the remainder of the year. Despite the limited playing time, Diggs still turned in an impressive junior campaign with 20 tackles, a forced fumble, one interception and six pass breakups. His six breakups led the Tide while his seven passes defensed tied for fourth in the SEC prior to his injury.

Jennings provides the Crimson Tide defense with a veteran presence in the linebacker group. He has seen time in 41 career games with 24 starts to his name, accumulating 111 tackles, including 22 for a loss (-74 yards) to go with 7.5 sacks (-37 yards). Jennings put together a standout season in 2018, recording a team-high 11 pass breakups to go with his 51 tackles. He also added 14 tackles for loss (-40 yards) and 6.5 sacks (-30 yards) along with a pair of fumble recoveries, one of which he returned for a touchdown.

Receiving nods across the nation, Moses comes into the 2019 season as one of the top-rated linebackers and defensive players overall. A second team All-American and finalist for the Butkus Award a season ago, he returns a veteran presence over the middle with big play ability. Moses led the Crimson Tide with 86 tackles in 2018 and had 10 for loss (-41 yards) to go with 3.5 sacks (-29 yards), a pass breakup, one forced fumble and a quarterback pressure as a sophomore. He has impressed since arriving on campus, putting together an SEC All-Freshman performance in 2017 after playing in 11 games with two starts.

The Bronko Nagurski Trophy has been presented annually since 1993 by the Charlotte Touchdown Club and the Football Writers Association of America to recognize the top defensive player in college football. The award is named in honor of college and NFL Hall of Famer Bronko Nagurski. The 2019 winner will be announced at the Charlotte Touchdown Club’s annual awards banquet in December of this year.

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