The accolades continue to pile up for two of Virginia football’s brightest stars, as senior free safety Quin Blanding and senior inside linebacker Micah Kiser were both named to the 2017 preseason Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List late last week.
The Bronko Nagurski Trophy is given to the country’s best collegiate defensive player every year, with this being the second consecutive year that both Blanding and Kiser have been on the list. Blanding also made the list as a sophomore in 2015.
Both Kiser and Blanding are coming off of superb seasons that saw both of them being named to the All-ACC First Team. Kiser and Blanding were the top two players in the ACC in terms of tackles per game, with Kiser leading the way with 11.2 and Blanding following right behind with 10. They finished third and ninth in tackles per game throughout the nation, respectively. This was the second season in a row in which Kiser led the ACC in tackles and the third consecutive season where Blanding finished in second.
Blanding heads into his senior season with a chance to further cement his legacy as a defensive stalwart for Virginia, for as of now, he sits at No. 9 all-time in tackles made for the Cavaliers.
The Nagurski Trophy will be awarded by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) and the Charlotte Touchdown Club and the winner will be announced on Dec. 4 at the Bronko Nagurski Trophy Banquet.
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