The Bronko Nagurski Trophy watch list released Tuesday includes a whopping 97 defensive players, with three of those listed — seniors Te’von Coney and Jerry Tillery and junior Julian Love — playing for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
Love is one of 27 defensive backs honored, while Coney is one of 26 linebackers who made the initial list. Tillery is one of the 20 tackles named, a list that undoubtedly starts with 2017 Nagurski Trophy finalist Ed Oliver of the Houston Cougars. (You remember Oliver as last year’s winner of the Outland Trophy, an award that should have rightfully gone to Irish left guard Quenton Nelson.