CHARLOTTE, N.C. - LSU cornerback Patrick Peterson and linebacker Kelvin Sheppard have been selected to the watch list for the 2010 Bronko Nagurski Trophy, which is presented annually to college football's best defensive player, the Football Writers Association of America has announced.
Peterson and Sheppard both made the initial 74-player list that will be trimmed to five finalists during the season. The Bronko Nagurski Trophy winner will be announced on Dec. 6 at a banquet put on by the Charlotte Touchdown Club at the Westin Charlotte Hotel.
Twelve Southeastern Conference players were named to the list. LSU All-American defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey was the last SEC player to receive the award, doing so during the Tigers' 2007 national championship season.
Peterson, one of the elite defensive players in the nation, is nearly a unanimous selection to every preseason All-America team. The 6-1 junior led all SEC cornerbacks with 13 passes defended last season while recording 52 tackles, including 43 solo stops. He also had two touchdowns to his credit.
Sheppard, who joined Peterson on the Sporting News preseason All-America team, ranked third in the SEC last season with 110 total tackles, including 8.5 for losses.
2010 Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List (SEC Players)
Alabama S Mark Barron
Alabama DE Marcell Dareus
Alabama LB Dont'a Hightower
Georgia LB Justin Houston
Florida CB Janoris Jenkins
Vanderbilt LB Chris Marve
South Carolina DE Cliff Matthews
South Carolina CB Stephon Gilmore
LSU CB Patrick Peterson
LSU LB Kelvin Sheppard
Ole Miss DT Jerrell Powe
Auburn LB Craig Stevens
