ANNAPOLIS, Md.—Navy senior linebacker and co-captain Colin Ramos has been named to the Bronco Nagurski Watch List by the Football Writers Association of America. The Bronco Nagurski Trophy is awarded to the national defensive player of the year.
Ramos is one of just five players from the American Athletic Conference to make the list and the only player from a Service Academy.
Ramos, who was named First Team All-American Athletic Conference last year, has seen action in 32-career games, including making 24 starts.
Ramos started all 12 games in 2023 and led Navy in tackles (110), was second in tackles for a loss (8) and added 2 sacks, 4 pass breakups, forced 2 fumbles and had a fumble recovery. He was the first Navy player to reach 100 tackles in a season since Diego Fagot had 100 in 2019.
The FWAA and the Charlotte Touchdown Club will announce finalists for the 2024 trophy on Nov. 20 and the winner will be unveiled Dec. 9 at the Bronko Nagurski Awards Banquet in Charlotte, N.C.
By position, the list includes 22 linebackers, 16 defensive ends, 16 safeties, 12 defensive tackles and 9 cornerbacks.
Players may be added or removed from the watch list during the course of the season. As in previous years, the FWAA will announce a National Defensive Player of the Week each Tuesday. If not already on the watch list, each week's honored player will be added at that time.
The FWAA All-America Committee, after voting input from the association's full membership, selects a 26-man All-America Team and eventually the Nagurski Trophy finalists. The Bronko Nagurski Trophy winner will be chosen from the five finalists named in November. Committee members, by individual ballot, select the winner they regard as the best defensive player in college football.
The FWAA has chosen a National Defensive Player of the Year since 1993. In 1995, the FWAA named the award in honor of the legendary two-way player from the University of Minnesota. Nagurski dominated college football, then became a star for professional football's Chicago Bears in the 1930s. Bronislaw "Bronko" Nagurski is a charter member of both the College Football and Pro Football Halls of Fame.
The Bronko Nagurski Trophy is a member of the National College Football Awards Association. Founded in 1997, the NCFAA includes college football's most prestigious awards and its 24 awards have honored more than 900 recipients dating back to 1935. This season, 12 NCFAA awards will honor national players of the week each Tuesday. Sixteen NCFAA members are unveiling preseason watch lists over a 12-day period as the association spearheads a coordinated effort to promote each award's preseason candidates.
Following is the remaining 2024 preseason watch list calendar:
Wed., July 31: Paycom Jim Thorpe Award
Thu., Aug. 1: Paul Hornung Award/Allstate Wuerffel Trophy
Fri., Aug. 2: Lou Groza Award/Ray Guy Award
Mon., Aug. 5: Walter Camp Award
Tue., Aug. 6: Doak Walker Award
Wed., Aug. 7: Biletnikoff Award
Thu., Aug. 8: Davey O'Brien Award
Fri., Aug. 9: Mackey Award/Rimington Trophy
Mon., Aug. 12: Bednarik Award
Tue., Aug. 13: Butkus Award
