July 8, 2011

DALLAS (SMU/FWAA) - SMU senior defensive end Taylor Thompson has been named to the Watch List for the 2011 Bronko Nagurski Trophy, an award given annually to the nation's best defensive player by the Football Writers Association of America and the Charlotte Touchdown Club.

Thompson, a native of Prosper, Texas, started in all 14 games last season and was named All-Conference USA First Team. An anchor in SMU's 3-4 defense, he posted 32 tackles, 5.5 tackles-for-loss, 4.5 sacks and three QB hurries on the season. He is one of just five Conference USA players on the list.

The Bronko Nagurski Trophy winner is chosen from five finalists who are part of the FWAA All-America Team. The FWAA All-America Committee, after voting input from the entire membership, selects the 25-man team and eventually the Bronko Nagurski finalists. Committee members, then by individual ballot, select the winner, the best defensive player in America.

The annual Bronko Nagurski Trophy Banquet will be on Dec. 12 at the Westin Hotel in Charlotte, N.C.

A full list of nominees is below:

Ray-Ray Armstrong, Miami, SMark Barron, Alabama, SJake Bequette, Arkansas, DEBrandon Boykin, Georgia, CBNigel Bradham, Florida State, LBTanner Brock, TCU, LBArthur Brown, Kansas State, LBZach Brown, North Carolina, LBVince Browne, Northwestern, DEVontaze Burfict, Arizona State, LBMiles Burris, San Diego State, LBTank Carder, TCU, LBMorris Claiborne, LSU, CBQuinton Coples, North Carolina, DEFletcher Cox, Mississippi State, DEJared Crick, Nebraska, DTVinny Curry, Marshall, DELavonte David, Nebraska, LBAlfonzo Dennard, Nebraska, CBTony Dye, UCLA, SMarcus Forston, Miami, DTJerry Franklin, Arkansas, LBStephon Gilmore, South Carolina, CBZaviar Gooden, Missouri, LBLogan Harrell, Fresno State, DTCliff Harris, Oregon, CBCasey Hayward, Vanderbilt, CBDont'a Hightower, Alabama, LBJayron Hosley, Virginia Tech, CBJaye Howard, Florida, DTDelano Howell, Stanford, SBruce Irvin, West Virginia, DEMalik Jackson, Tennessee, DTBrandon Jenkins, Florida State, DEJames-Michael Johnson, Nevada, LBCoryell Judie, Texas A&M, CBMychal Kendricks, California, LBDre Kirkpatrick, Alabama, CBJake Knott, Iowa State, LBLuke Kuechly, Boston College, LBRobert Lester, Alabama, STravis Lewis, Oklahoma, LBBrandon Lindsey, Pittsburgh, DEBrad Madison, Missouri, DEMarkelle Martin, Oklahoma State, SMike Martin, Michigan, DTChris Marve, Vanderbilt, LBJonathan Massaquoi, Troy, DEMichael Mauti, Penn State, LBT.J. McDonald, USC, SChase Minnifield, Virginia, CBCharles Mitchell, Mississippi State, SRoosevelt Nix, Kent State, DEDonte Paige-Moss, North Carolina, DEDontari Poe, Memphis, DTTydreke Powell, North Carolina, DTShaun Prater, Iowa, CBKheeston Randall, Texas, DTKendall Reyes, Connecticut, DTXavier Rhodes, Florida State, CBAdrian Robinson, Temple, DEJosh Robinson, UCF, CBKeenan Robinson, Texas, LBJ.K. Schaffer, Cincinnati, LBKawann Short, Purdue, DTMychal Sisson, Colorado State, LBShayne Skov, Stanford, LBHarrison Smith, Notre Dame, SAkeem Spence, Illinois, DTSean Spence, Miami, LBAlameda Ta'amu, Washington, DTKeith Tandy, West Virginia, CBKenny Tate, Maryland, S/LBBruce Taylor, Virginia Tech, LBDevin Taylor, South Carolina, DEManti Te'o, Notre Dame, LBTaylor Thompson, SMU, DEDanny Trevathan, Kentucky, LBCourtney Upshaw, Alabama, LBPrentiss Waggner, Tennessee, SBobby Wagner, Utah State, LBBrian Wagner, Akron, LBKorey Williams, Southern Miss, LBNathan Williams, Ohio State, DEBilly Winn, Boise State, DTDerek Wolfe, Cincinnati, DTJerel Worthy, Michigan State, DT