AUBURN, Ala. – At SEC Media Days, Gus Malzahn said the strength of this Auburn defense would be the front seven, so it's not surprising to see defensive linemen Derrick Brown and Marlon Davidson both named to the 2018 Bronko Nagurski Trophy watch list, released by the Football Writers Association of America on Tuesday.
The Bronko Nagurski Trophy is presented annually to the nation's best defender.
Brown, a second-team All-SEC selection by the media last week, finished with 56 tackles, nine tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks last year. He also forced two fumbles and blocked a field-goal attempt in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl against UCF. The 6-foot-5, 325-pound junior is ranked No. 15 overall on Mel Kiper Jr.'s latest 2019 Big Board.
Davidson, also a junior, was named third-team All-SEC by the media. He had 43 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and five quarterback hurries last season and has started every game since he arrived at Auburn.
The duo joins a number of former Auburn teammates who have also made the Nagurski watch list, including Carl Lawson (2016 and 2015), Montravius Adams (2016), Cassanova McKinzy (2015), Jonathan Jones (2015) and Gabe Wright (2014). Defensive back Carlos Rogers was a finalist for the award in 2004.
Led by the SEC with 16, there are 97 players total on this year's Nagurski watch list. Players may be added or removed during the course of the season. As in previous years, 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 FWAA and the Charlotte Touchdown Club will announce five finalists for the 2018 Bronko Nagurski Trophy on Nov. 14. The winner will then be chosen from those five finalists and announced at the annual banquet on Dec. 3 at the Charlotte Convention Center.
Greg Ostendorf is a Senior Writer for AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: @greg_ostendorf
