Taylor Thompson Named To Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List

[PonyPride]

From SMUMustangs.com:

Thompson Named To Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List
SMU End One Of Five C-USA Players On List

July 8, 2011

DALLAS (SMU/FWAA) - SMU senior defensive end Taylor Thompson has been named to the Watch List for the 2011 Bronko Nagurski Trophy, an award given annually to the nation's best defensive player by the Football Writers Association of America and the Charlotte Touchdown Club.

Thompson, a native of Prosper, Texas, started in all 14 games last season and was named All-Conference USA First Team. An anchor in SMU's 3-4 defense, he posted 32 tackles, 5.5 tackles-for-loss, 4.5 sacks and three QB hurries on the season. He is one of just five Conference USA players on the list.

The Bronko Nagurski Trophy winner is chosen from five finalists who are part of the FWAA All-America Team. The FWAA All-America Committee, after voting input from the entire membership, selects the 25-man team and eventually the Bronko Nagurski finalists. Committee members, then by individual ballot, select the winner, the best defensive player in America.

The annual Bronko Nagurski Trophy Banquet will be on Dec. 12 at the Westin Hotel in Charlotte, N.C.

A full list of nominees is below:

Ray-Ray Armstrong, Miami, S
Mark Barron, Alabama, S
Jake Bequette, Arkansas, DE
Brandon Boykin, Georgia, CB
Nigel Bradham, Florida State, LB
Tanner Brock, TCU, LB
Arthur Brown, Kansas State, LB
Zach Brown, North Carolina, LB
Vince Browne, Northwestern, DE
Vontaze Burfict, Arizona State, LB
Miles Burris, San Diego State, LB
Tank Carder, TCU, LB
Morris Claiborne, LSU, CB
Quinton Coples, North Carolina, DE
Fletcher Cox, Mississippi State, DE
Jared Crick, Nebraska, DT
Vinny Curry, Marshall, DE
Lavonte David, Nebraska, LB
Alfonzo Dennard, Nebraska, CB
Tony Dye, UCLA, S
Marcus Forston, Miami, DT
Jerry Franklin, Arkansas, LB
Stephon Gilmore, South Carolina, CB
Zaviar Gooden, Missouri, LB
Logan Harrell, Fresno State, DT
Cliff Harris, Oregon, CB
Casey Hayward, Vanderbilt, CB
Dont'a Hightower, Alabama, LB
Jayron Hosley, Virginia Tech, CB
Jaye Howard, Florida, DT
Delano Howell, Stanford, S
Bruce Irvin, West Virginia, DE
Malik Jackson, Tennessee, DT
Brandon Jenkins, Florida State, DE
James-Michael Johnson, Nevada, LB
Coryell Judie, Texas A&M, CB
Mychal Kendricks, California, LB
Dre Kirkpatrick, Alabama, CB
Jake Knott, Iowa State, LB
Luke Kuechly, Boston College, LB
Robert Lester, Alabama, S
Travis Lewis, Oklahoma, LB
Brandon Lindsey, Pittsburgh, DE
Brad Madison, Missouri, DE
Markelle Martin, Oklahoma State, S
Mike Martin, Michigan, DT
Chris Marve, Vanderbilt, LB
Jonathan Massaquoi, Troy, DE
Michael Mauti, Penn State, LB
T.J. McDonald, USC, S
Chase Minnifield, Virginia, CB
Charles Mitchell, Mississippi State, S
Roosevelt Nix, Kent State, DE
Donte Paige-Moss, North Carolina, DE
Dontari Poe, Memphis, DT
Tydreke Powell, North Carolina, DT
Shaun Prater, Iowa, CB
Kheeston Randall, Texas, DT
Kendall Reyes, Connecticut, DT
Xavier Rhodes, Florida State, CB
Adrian Robinson, Temple, DE
Josh Robinson, UCF, CB
Keenan Robinson, Texas, LB
J.K. Schaffer, Cincinnati, LB
Kawann Short, Purdue, DT
Mychal Sisson, Colorado State, LB
Shayne Skov, Stanford, LB
Harrison Smith, Notre Dame, S
Akeem Spence, Illinois, DT
Sean Spence, Miami, LB
Alameda Ta'amu, Washington, DT
Keith Tandy, West Virginia, CB
Kenny Tate, Maryland, S/LB
Bruce Taylor, Virginia Tech, LB
Devin Taylor, South Carolina, DE
Manti Te'o, Notre Dame, LB
Taylor Thompson, SMU, DE
Danny Trevathan, Kentucky, LB
Courtney Upshaw, Alabama, LB
Prentiss Waggner, Tennessee, S
Bobby Wagner, Utah State, LB
Brian Wagner, Akron, LB
Korey Williams, Southern Miss, LB
Nathan Williams, Ohio State, DE
Billy Winn, Boise State, DT
Derek Wolfe, Cincinnati, DT
Jerel Worthy, Michigan State, DT

[mrydel]

I met Mr. Nagurski several years ago while he was pumping gas into our family car at a little station he owned in International Falls, MN. Pay scales were slightly less in his days. I was just a kid but I still remember the size of his hands. They were like hams.

[ponyte]

Congrats to Taylor. And best wishes for winning this award.

[Charleston Pony]

looking for a big year from TT; I'm sure he's going to see a lot of the double teams he saw last year.

[One Trick Pony]

Watch lists make me laugh.

[PoconoPony]

I met Mr. Nagurski several years ago while he was pumping gas into our family car at a little station he owned in International Falls, MN. Pay scales were slightly less in his days. I was just a kid but I still remember the size of his hands. They were like hams.

The Bronco's gas station in International Falls was a brand called PURE and it was located at an intersection roughly 4 blocks from the center of IF and the split road that led to the international bridge into St. Francis, Ontario. Yes, he had huge knarled hands and both of his sons played for Notre Dame then they competed in the Canadian League ironically as Canadian citizens from their mother.