The Associated Press end-of-season awards sparked some excitement for Wisconsin football fans as two Badger alumni, T.J. Watt and Zack Baun, earned nominations for the Defensive Player of the Year award. Their standout seasons (among several other players this year) continue to showcase the pipeline of talent developed in Madison.
T.J. Watt
T.J. Watt, a defensive superstar and perennial contender for DPOY, put up a dominant performance for the Pittsburgh Steelers this season, boasting an impressive 61 tackles, 11.5 sacks and 19 tackles for loss. He also had four pass deflections and six forced fumbles.