What a collection of finalist for the 2017 Bronko Nagurski Trophy, which will be handed out in December to the top defensive player in the country.
Top-ranked Alabama is represented with defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick. Fellow SEC standout Roquan Smith of Georgia was also named one of the finalist for the award along with Houston’s Ed Oliver, Iowa’s Josey Jewell and North Carolina State’s Bradley Chubb.
Al five players have had excellent seasons on the defensive side of the ball, but only one can stand tall with the trophy.
The award will be handed out on December 4 at the Charlotte Touchdown Club banquet, but why wait that long? Here’s how the voting — if made public — should look as of right now, counting down from No. 5 to the winner:
Oliver, a 6-3, 290-pound defensive tackle has followed up his incredible freshman season with another strong year for Houston.
As a newcomer to the college football scene a year ago, Oliver made 22 tackles for loss and five sacks, finishing with 65 tackles in all.
He has been unable to reach those numbers so far through nine games, tallying 53 stops with 10 for loss and 2.5 sacks.
Oliver has also been disruptive in other areas, breaking up three passes, forcing two fumbles and recovering one of them.