It’s officially college football watch list season, folks. We get to take a look at preseason prognostications and evaluations and lists of players who could have phenomenal years representing their teams this coming football season.
And while we don’t know exactly who will have a big year and live up to hype and who will fall short of expectations and who will be truly transcendent, we can go ahead and collect a group of players who might have some really solid success representing their teams this coming year.
We’re going to take a look at the 2025 edition of the preseason Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List because the Texas Tech Red Raiders have multiple players on the list.
And who is representing the Red Raiders here? Well, it’s Lee Hunter, who made it to Lubbock through the Transfer Portal, and Jacob Rodriguez, who has been with Texas Tech a bit longer than that.
Texas Tech’s Lee Hunter and Jacob Rodriguez earn their spots on the preseason Nagurski Trophy watch list
Taking a look back at that group of teams with multiple players on the list for a moment. That grouping features some truly elite programs and it’s a great thing to see Texas Tech included here. According to the press release, here are the teams that have multiple players being watched for the Nagurski Trophy:
- Texas Tech Red Raiders
- Alabama Crimson Tide
- Clemson Tigers
- Georgia Bulldogs
- Illinois Fighting Illini
- Indiana Hoosiers
- Iowa State Cyclones
- Notre Dame Fighting Irish
- Ohio State Buckeyes
- Oregon Ducks
- Penn State Nittany Lions
- Texas Longhorns
It’s great to see Texas Tech among this really prestigious group who have multiple players on this award’s watch list. Also, it’s great that the Red Raiders make up literally half of the Big 12 teams represented on that list.
That’s just incredibly encouraging.
It’s not often that we can see Texas Tech have something to brag about when it comes to this side of the ball. I’m here for all of the celebrations of Texas Tech’s defense.