FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - Junior Ken Hamlin has been named to the 2002 Bronko Nagurski Trophy watch list it was announced by The Charlotte Touchdown Club and the Football Writers Association of America this week.
Hamlin is one of 64 defensive players to make the preseason selection list for the trophy that is awarded annually to the nation's top defensive college player. The Memphis, Tenn., product has earned more than 100 tackles in each of his two seasons as the Razorbacks' starting free safety.
"Ken has been a leader in our secondary since he stepped on the field," Arkansas head coach Houston Nutt said. "He is an outstanding free safety and I'm confident that we will continue to see big things from him. His selection to this list is evidence that people around the country recognize him as one of the top defensive backs in the country."
Hamlin set a school record for a defensive back with 104 tackles in 2000 before topping his own record mark with 118 tackles in 2001. A 2001 first-team All-Southeastern Conference selection, Hamlin led all league defensive backs in tackles last season.
The 800-member Football Writers Association of America selects the Bronko Nagurski Trophy watch list candidates, identifies the players of the week and names the trophy winner. The Charlotte Touchdown Club, a non-profit organization that raises funds for scholarships, has presented the trophy each year since 1995.
The distinguished recipients who have been awarded the Bronko Nagurski Trophy in past years include the following: Rob Waldrop (1993), Warren Sapp (1994), Pat Fitzgerald (1995 and '96), Charles Woodson (1997), Champ Bailey (1998), Corey Moore (1999) and Dan Morgan (2000). The 2001 recipient was Roy Williams, a junior defensive back from the University of Oklahoma.
The award, named after Hall of Famer and University of Minnesota and Chicago Bears star Bronko Nagurski, recognizes the best all-around defensive players throughout the year with the Bronko Nagurski Player of the Week. In November, five finalists will be selected and the trophy will be presented to the winner at a banquet on Dec. 9 in Charlotte, N.C.
(Complete Watch List Attached)
2002 BRONKO NAGURSKI TROPHY WATCH LIST Anthony Allsbury, DL, Western Mich. Phil Archer, LB, Minnesota Fred Barr, LB, Iowa Lance Briggs, LB, Arizona Chris Brown, LB, Hawaii Nick Burley, DE, Fresno State A.C. Collier, DE, Baylor Chris Crocker, DB, Marshall Angelo Crowell, LB, Virginia Rod Davis, LB, Southern Miss Sheldon Deckart, LB, Utah Mike Doss, DB, Ohio State Rashad Faison, DB, South Carolina Anthony Floyd, DB, Louisville Lawrence Flugence, LB, Texas Tech Greg Gathers, DE, Georgia Tech Jernaro Gilford, DB, BYU Brandon Green, DL, Rice Mario Haggan, LB, Mississippi State Ken Hamlin, DB, Arkansas Tommie Harris, DT, Oklahoma Gerald Hayes, LB, Pittsburgh E.J. Henderson, LB, Maryland Victor Hobson, LB, Michigan Terrance Holt, DB, N.C. State Bradie James, LB, LSU Erasmus James, DL, Wisconsin Derrick Johnson, LB, Texas Todd Johnson, DB, Florida Terrell Jones, LB, Miami (Ohio) William Joseph, DT, Miami Cato June, DB, Michigan Chris Kelsay, DE, Nebraska Jimmy Kennedy, DL, Penn State Dan Klecko, DT, Temple Rodney Leisle, DT, UCLA Eric Manning, DT, Oregon State Ricky Manning, CB, UCLA LeMarcus McDonald, LB, TCU Jerome McDougle, DE, Miami Kindal Moorehead, DE, Alabama Christian Morton, DB, Illinois Antwan Peek, DE, Cincinnati Troy Polamalu, DB, USC Kendyll Pope, LB, Florida State Cory Redding, DE, Texas Bob Sanders, DB, Iowa Benny Sapp, DB, Iowa Jerry Schumacher, LB, Illinois Stuart Schweigert, DB, Purdue Ian Scott, DT, Florida Clifton Smith, LB, Syracuse Derrick Strait, CB, Oklahoma Donald Strickland, CB, Colorado Terrell Suggs, DE, Arizona State Vince Thompson, DB, Northern Illinois Jonathan Vilma, LB, Miami Dennis Weathersby, CB, Oregon State Dewayne White, DE, Louisville Ronyell Whitaker, CB, Virginia Tech Matt Wilhelm, LB, Ohio State Jimmy Wilkerson, DE, Oklahoma Eugene Wilson, DB, Illinois Andre Woolfolk, CB, Oklahoma
