Auburn's Zakoby McClain named to Lott IMPACT Trophy Watch List

121220_AUvsUM_TVE_Zakoby_McClain_9_gets_a_tackle121220_AUvsUM_TVE_Zakoby_McClain_9_gets_a_tackle

AUBURN, Ala. – Auburn senior linebacker Zakoby McClain is one of 42 players on the watch list for the 2021 Lott IMPACT Trophy, the Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation announced Tuesday.

McClain led the nation with 113 tackles last season, averaging 10.3 stops per game, which ranked third in the SEC and 19th nationally.

He posted a career-high 17 tackles vs. Texas A&M, the most by an Auburn player since Demetruce McNeal recorded 18 in 2012 at Mississippi State.

In three seasons on the Plains, McClain has tallied seven games with 10 or more tackles, including five in 2020 and three in a row vs. Georgia (11), Arkansas (14) and South Carolina (13).
 
McClain's 11-tackle performance in the Citrus Bowl gave him 172 careers stops. McClain's former Auburn teammate, Derrick Brown, won the Lott IMPACT Trophy in 2019.

College defensive players are nominated to the Watch List based on the IMPACT on their teams on and off the field.  IMPACT is an acronym for Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community and Tenacity.  The 42 represents Ronnie Lott's number during his legendary career.

The Watch List was announced at a luncheon at The Pacific Club in Newport Beach June 15.  Former NFL MVP and Hall of Famer Kurt Warner was the special guest speaker at the luncheon.

The winner of the Lott Trophy, which will be announced in December, will receive $25,000 for his university's general scholarship fund.

This is the 18th year for the Lott Trophy, which has donated more than $1.6 million to schools and other charities around the country.
 

  The 2021 Lott IMPACT Trophy Watch List:
JOSH JOBE, DB, Alabama
BUMPER POOL, LB, Arkansas
ARIK SMITH, LB, Army
ZAKOBY McCLAIN, LB, Auburn
KEKAULA KANIHO, CB, Boise State
KUONY DENG, LB, Cal
COBY BRYANT, CB, Cincinnati
ANDREW BOOTH, Jr., CB, Clemson
NOLAN TURNER, S, Clemson
SILAS KELLY, LB, Coastal Carolina
NATE LANDMAN, LB, Colorado
SHAKA HEYWARD, LB, Duke
NAKOBE DEAN, LB, Georgia
ZACH VANVALKENBURG, DE, Iowa
MIKE ROSE, LB, Iowa State
JAHRON McPHERSON, S, Kansas State
YUSUF CORKER, S, Kentucky
DAMONE CLARK, LB, LSU
BUBBA BOLDEN, S, Miami
AIDEN HUTCHINSON, DT, Michigan
JOJO DOMANN, LB, Nebraska
JACKSON HANKEY, LB, North Dakota State
KYLE HAMILTON, S, Notre Dame
BRANDON JOSEPH, DB, Northwestern
ZACH HARRISON, DE, Ohio State
KAYVON THIBODEAUX. DE, Oregon
PJ MUSTIPHER, DT, Penn State
DESLIN ALEXANDER, DE, Pitt
GEORGE KARLAFITIS, DE, Purdue
THOMAS BOOKER, DE, Stanford
TRE'VIUS HODGES-TOMLINSON, CB, TCU
QUENTIN LAKE, DB, UCLA
JOSH THOMPSON, CB, Texas
DRAKE JACKSON, LB, USC
DEVIN LLOYD, LB, Utah
CHAMARRI CONNER, DB, Virginia Tech
NICK JACKSON, LB, Virginia
NICK ANDERSON, LB, Wake Forest
EDEFUAN ULOFOSHIO, LB, Washington
ALONZO ADDAE, S, West Virginia
JACK SANBORN, LB, Wisconsin
 
Previous Winners of the Lott IMPACT Trophy
2004 – David Pollack, Georgia
2005 – DeMeco Ryans, Alabama
2006 – Dante Hughes, Cal
2007 – Glenn Dorsey, LSU
2008 – James Laurinaitis, Ohio State
2009 – Jerry Hughes, TCU
2010 – J.J. Watt, Wisconsin
2011 – Luke Kuechly, Boston College
2012 – Manti Te'o, Notre Dame
2013 – Anthony Barr, UCLA
2014 – Eric Kendricks, UCLA
2015 – Carl Nassib, Penn State
2016 – Jabrill Peppers, Michigan
2017 – Josey Jewell, Iowa
2018 – Josh Allen, Kentucky
2019 – Derrick Brown, Auburn
2020 – Paddy Fisher, Northwestern