Surveying the defensive landscape, the Football Writer’s Association of America compiled a list of candidates vying for the 2019 Bronko Nagurski Trophy. In total, 92 names appear on the watch list as defenders compete for the title of Defensive Player of the Year. Despite the defensive overhaul, Kenneth Murray appears as one of the ninety-two and continues to carry the banner for the Oklahoma Sooners.
2019 BRONKO NAGURSKI TROPHY PRESEASON WATCH LIST (92)
DB DeMarkus Acy, Missouri
DB Paulson Adebo, Stanford
DE Bradlee Anae, Utah
LB Rayshard Ashby, Virginia Tech
LB Joe Bachie, Michigan State
DE JaQuan Bailey, Iowa State
LB Markus Bailey, Purdue
DB Essang Bassey, Wake Forest
LB Shaun Bradley, Temple
DB Antoine Brooks Jr., Maryland
LB Jordyn Brooks, Texas Tech
DT Derrick Brown, Auburn
DB Myles Bryant, Washington
DB Andre Cisco, Syracuse
DE Nick Coe, Auburn
LB Carter Coughlin, Minnesota
DB Cameron Dantzler, Mississippi State
DE Raekwon Davis, Alabama
DB Grant Delpit, LSU
DB Trevon Diggs, Alabama
DE Victor Dimukeje, Duke
LB Troy Dye, Oregon
LB Cooper Edmiston, Tulsa
DE A.J. Epenesa, Iowa
LB Jordan Fehr, Appalachian State
LB Paddy Fisher, Northwestern
DB Jordan Fuller, Ohio State
DB Kristian Fulton, LSU
LB Lawrence Garner, Old Dominion
LB Cale Garrett, Missouri
DE Jonathan Garvin, Miami
DE Joe Gaziano, Northwestern
DB Alohi Gilman, Notre Dame
DB Jeff Gladney, TCU
DB Richie Grant, UCF
DB A.J. Green, Oklahoma State
DE Yetur Gross-Matos, Penn State
DB Javon Hagan, Ohio
DB Bryce Hall, Virginia
LB Ky’el Hemby, Southern Miss
DB CJ Henderson, Florida
DB Lavert Hill, Michigan
DE Wyatt Hubert, Kansas State
LB Bryce Huff, Memphis
LB Anfernee Jennings, Alabama
DB Jaylon Johnson, Utah
DE Mustafa Johnson, Colorado
DE Patrick Johnson, Tulane
LB Clay Johnston, Baylor
DB Brandon Jones, Texas
LB Antonio Jones-Davis, NIU
DE Khalid Kareem, Notre Dame
LB Nate Landman, Colorado
LB Sage Lewis, FIU
DT Ray Lima, Iowa State
LB Bryan London II, Texas State
LB Jordan Mack, Virginia
DT Justin Madubuke, Texas A&M
DB Kevin McGill, Eastern Michigan
DB Josh Metellus, Michigan
LB Dylan Moses, Alabama
LB Kenneth Murray, Oklahoma
DE Julian Okwara, Notre Dame
LB Micah Parsons, Penn State
LB Jacob Phillips, LSU
LB Shaquille Quarterman, Miami
DB J.R. Reed, Georgia
DB Elijah Riley, Army
DB Amik Robertson, Louisiana Tech
LB Merlin Robertson, Arizona State
DE Alton Robinson, Syracuse
LB Colin Schooler, Arizona
DT Jordon Scott, Oregon
LB Isaiah Simmons, Clemson
LB Marcel Spears, Iowa State
DB Caden Sterns, Texas
LB Darrell Taylor, Tennessee
LB Kyahva Tezino, San Diego State
DE Xavier Thomas, Clemson
LB Erroll Thompson, Mississippi State
DT Khyiris Tonga, BYU
DE Jay Tufele, USC
LB Mykal Walker, Fresno State
DE Curtis Weaver, Boise State
LB Evan Weaver, California
DB James Wiggins, Cincinnati
DE Kenny Willekes, Michigan State
DT Marvin Wilson, Florida State
DT Robert Windsor, Penn State
LB David Woodward, Utah State
DE Chase Young, Ohio State
DE Jabari Zuniga, Florida
By conference: SEC 18, Big Ten 15, ACC 12, Pac-12 12, Big 12 11, American Athletic 6, Independents 5, Conference USA 4, Mountain West 4, Mid-American 3, Sun Belt 2.
By position: Linebackers 36, Backs 28, Ends 21, Tackles 7.
During the non-conference portion of the schedule, Murray racked up 28 tackles against Army in 2018. It was simply a primer of the year the linebacker would produce on the field. Accounting for 155 total tackles, the sophomore’s numbers reached heights not seen since 2007. As expectations continue to rise, Murray remains the anchor of the defensive unit as a whole.