Three Tigers Placed on Outland Trophy Watch List
The Football Writers Association of America announced today that three Clemson players — defensive tackle Bryan Bresee, defensive tackle Tyler Davis and offensive tackle Jordan McFadden — have been named to the watch list for the Outland Trophy. Additional information from award organizers is included below.
DALLAS (FWAA) — The Football Writers Association of America has announced the preseason watch list for the 2021 Outland Trophy, recognizing 80 returning standout interior linemen representing all 10 Division I FBS conferences and independents. The 2021 season continues a celebration of the award's 75th anniversary and the watch list presents a talented field of players to accompany three returning FWAA All-Americans.
The recipient of the 2021 Outland Trophy will be announced on The Home Depot College Football Awards, live on ESPN in December. The official presentation to the winner will be made at the Outland Trophy Awards Dinner sponsored by Werner Enterprises and produced by the Greater Omaha Sports Committee in Omaha, Neb., on Jan. 12, 2022.
Kenyon Green, a 2020 Outland semifinalist as a first-team FWAA All-American offensive guard at Texas A&M last year, tops the list as the only first-team interior lineman to return. The Aggies, who also have defensive tackle McKinnley Jackson on the list, are one of 18 teams to have at least two players on the watch list. Two other returning All-Americans, Iowa center Tyler Linderbaum and defensive tackle Dante Stills of West Virginia, also highlight the top returning interior linemen. Both were second-team All-Americans a year ago.
Five schools boast three selections each, including two of last year's College Football Playoff qualifiers in Clemson and Ohio State. Two of Clemson's are defensive tackles, Bryan Bresee and Tyler Davis, along with offensive tackle Jordan McFadden, are touted. Ohio State's offensive line is bolstered by tackles Thayer Munford and Nicholas Petit-Frere and its defense features tackle Haskell Garrett.
Boston College, which pairs with Clemson to give the Atlantic Coast Conference six of its national-best 14 players, has center Alec Lindstrom in between guard Zion Johnson and offensive tackle Tyler Vrabel. Oklahoma’s high-powered offense has guards Tyrese Robinson and Marquis Hayes and a third member, Perrion Winfrey at defensive tackle. Georgia is the only SEC school with a trio of players – guards Jamaree Salyer and Justin Shaffer, and defensive tackle Jordan Davis.
After the ACC, the Big Ten boasts 13 selections spread among nine different schools and the SEC has 11 total from seven schools. Defending national champion Alabama is represented by a tackle on each side of the ball, Evan Neal on offense and Phidarian Mathis on defense. Alabama offensive tackle Alex Leatherwood won the 2020 Outland Trophy before departing to the NFL as the 17th overall selection in the draft by the Las Vegas Raiders.
Two members of last season's FWAA Freshman All-America team, Northwestern offensive tackle Peter Skoronski and Tulsa offensive tackle Tyler Smith, are also on the watch list, which includes 26 offensive tackles, 26 guards, 16 centers and 13 defensive tackles.
2021 OUTLAND TROPHY WATCH LIST
G Henry Bainivalu, Washington
OT Matthew Bedford, Indiana
G Curtis Blackwell, Ball State
C Nick Brahms, Auburn
DT Bryan Bresee, Clemson
DT C.J. Brewer, Coastal Carolina
OT Nick Broeker, Ole Miss
G Logan Bruss, Wisconsin
OT Spencer Burford, UTSA
C Mike Caliendo, Western Michigan
G Trey Carter, Coastal Carolina
DT Will Choloh, Troy
DT Nolan Cockrill, Army
C Keegan Cryder, Wyoming
DT Jordan Davis, Georgia
DT Tyler Davis, Clemson
C Dawson Deaton, Texas Tech
G Corey Dublin, Tulane
G Ikem Ekwonu, N.C. State
C Nathan Eldridge, Oregon State
C James Empey, BYU
G Joshua Ezeudu, North Carolina
C Alex Forsyth, Oregon
OT Jake Fuzak, Buffalo
DT Haskell Garrett, Ohio State
C Grant Gibson, N.C. State
G Shamarious Gilmore, Georgia State
OT Kenyon Green, Texas A&M
C Bryce Harris, Toledo
G Marquis Hayes, Oklahoma
C Brock Hoffman, Virginia Tech
OT Jarrett Horst, Michigan State
C Baer Hunter, App State
G Ed Ingram, LSU
DT McKinnley Jackson, Texas A&M
G Zion Johnson, Boston College
OT Darian Kinnard, Kentucky
OT Jaxson Kirkland, Washington
C Doug Kramer, Illinois
C Tyler Linderbaum, Iowa
C Alec Lindstrom, Boston College
DT Jermayne Lole, Arizona State
OT Vederian Lowe, Illinois
OT Abe Lucas, Washington State
G Cain Madden, Notre Dame
DT Phidarian Mathis, Alabama
OT Jordan McFadden, Clemson
C Mike Miranda, Penn State
OT Thayer Munford, Ohio State
OT Evan Neal, Alabama
OT Zion Nelson, Miami
C Colin Newell, Iowa State
G Conner Olson, Minnesota
G Dylan Parham, Memphis
G Jarrett Patterson, Notre Dame
OT Nicholas Petit-Frere, Ohio State
OT Colby Ragland, UAB
G Tyrese Robinson, Oklahoma
OT Walter Rouse, Stanford
G Jamaree Salyer, Georgia
G Cole Schneider, UCF
G Derek Schweiger, Iowa State
G Justin Shaffer, Georgia
G Josh Sills, Oklahoma State
OT Peter Skoronski, Northwestern
OT Tyler Smith, Tulsa
OT Jack Snyder, San Jose State
G Jake Stetz, Boise State
DT Dante Stills, West Virginia
G Jaylon Thomas, SMU
OT Zachary Thomas, San Diego State
OT Zach Tom, Wake Forest
G O'Cyrus Torrence, Louisiana
DT Raymond Vohasek, North Carolina
OT Tyler Vrabel, Boston College
OT Rasheed Walker, Penn State
OT Sidney Wells, UAB
C Dohnovan West, Arizona State
OT Jarrid Williams, Miami
DT Perrion Winfrey, Oklahoma
By conference: ACC 14, Big Ten 13, SEC 11, Big 12 8, Pac-12 8, Sun Belt 6, American Athletic 5, Independents 4, Mid-American 4, Mountain West 4, Conference USA 3.
By position: Offensive Tackles 26, Offensive Guards 26, Centers 16, Defensive Tackles 13.
The Outland Trophy winner is chosen from three finalists who are a part of the annual FWAA All-America Team. The FWAA All-America Committee, after voting input from the entire membership, selects a 26-man first team and eventually the three Outland finalists. Committee members, then by individual ballot, select the winner. Only interior linemen on offense or defense are eligible for the award; ends are not eligible.
The Outland Trophy, celebrating 75 years since its founding, is the third-oldest major college football award. Created in 1946 when Dr. John Outland presented the FWAA with a financial contribution to initiate the award, the Outland Trophy has been given to the best interior lineman in college football ever since. Dr. Outland, an All-American at the University of Pennsylvania in the late 1890s, eventually took up practice in Kansas City, Mo. An avid outdoorsman, Dr. Outland believed linemen did not get the credit they deserved and wanted an award to recognize them.
The Outland Trophy is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. Founded in 1997, the NCFAA and its 25 awards now boast over 800 recipients, dating to 1935. Visit ncfaa.org and @NCFAA on Twitter to learn more about the association.
Founded in 1941, the Football Writers Association of America consists of 1,300 men and women who cover college football. The membership includes journalists, broadcasters and publicists, as well as key executives in all the areas that involve the game. The FWAA works to govern areas that include game-day operations, major awards and its annual All-America team.