DURHAM, N.C. – For the first time in their careers, Duke junior cornerback Mark Gilbert and redshirt junior linebacker Joe Giles-Harris have been named to the Bronko Nagurski Trophy Preseason Watch List as two candidates for the nation’s top defensive player award.
It is the third watch list the two have been placed on as the pair was also on the Chuck Bednarik Award Watch List. Gilbert made an appearance on the Jim Thorpe Award Watch List while Giles-Harris was on the Butkus Award Watch List
The two have been named to a combined eight preseason All-America squads with Gilbert picking up first team accolades from Street & Smith’s College Football Yearbook with second team appearances on the Athlon Sports, Lindy’s Sports and Sporting News squads as well as a fourth team pick by Phil Steele Magazine.