The 2022 Rotary Lombardi Award Watch List was released. The Lombardi Award is very unique in that it can go to both offensive and defensive players but only to linemen and linebackers. I’m hopeful that this season an offensive lineman wins the award since it’s been 26 years since that last offensive lineman (the Ohio State legend Orlando Pace) won. Here are the players on this year’s list.
Jayson Ademilola, Notre Dame, S-Sr DL
Praise Amaewhule, UTEP, Rs, Jr DE
Darren Anders, Bowling Green, Sr ILB
Will Anderson Jr., Alabama, Jr OLB
Felix Anudike-Uzomah, Kansas State, Jr DE
Clark Barrington, BYU, Jr LG
Abraham Beauplan, Marshall, Sr LB
Cooper Beebe, Kansas State, Jr OL
Kivon Bennett, Arkansas State, Rs Sr LB
Brock Bowers, Georgia, So TE
Dwayne Boyles, USF, Sr LB
Bryan Bresee, Clemson, Rs So DT
Nick Broeker, Ole Miss, Sr OG
Jack Campbell, Iowa, Sr LB
Jalen Carter, Georgia, Jr DL
Andre Carter II, Army, Jr OLB
Caleb Chandler, Louisville, Rs Sr G
Elijah Chatman, SMU, Sr DT
Braeden Daniels, Utah, Jr RT
KD Davis, North Texas, Sr LB
SirVocea Dennis, Pittsburgh, Sr LB
Brandon Dorlus, Oregon, Jr DE
Trevor Downing, Iowa State, Rs Sr C
Cory Durden, North Carolina State, Rs Sr DT/DE
Jordan Ferguson, Middle Tennessee, Rs Sr DE
Alex Forsyth, Oregon, Sr C
Isaiah Foskey, Notre Dame, Sr DE
Zach Frazier, West Virginia, So C
Blake Freeland, BYU, Jr LT
Connor Galvin, Baylor, Sr OT
Ali Gaye, LSU, Rs Sr DE
Tyler Grubbs, Louisiana Tech, So LB
Derick Hall, Auburn, Sr Edge
Zach Harrison Ohio State, Sr DE
Nick Herbig, Wisconsin, Jr OLB
Jamal Hines, Toledo, Sr OLB
Cooper Hodges, Appalachian State, Rs Jr OT
Paris Johnson Jr., Ohio State, Jr OT
Dawand Jones, Ohio State, Sr OT
Viliami Junior Fehoko, San Jose State, Jr DE
Calijah Kancey, Pittsburgh, Rs Jr DT
Jaxson Kirkland, Washington, Sr OT
Willie Lampkin, Coastal Carolina, Jr C
Sam LaPorta, Iowa, Sr TE
Ahofitu Maka, UTSA, Sr C
Carlton Martial, Troy, Sr LB
Brock Martin, Oklahoma State, S-Sr DE
Michael Mayer, Notre Dame, Jr TE
Caden McDonald, San Diego State, Sr LB
Will McDonald IV, Iowa State, Rs Sr DE
Jordan McFadden, Clemson, Rs Sr OT
Lorenz Metz, Cincinnati, Sr OG
Wyatt Milum, West Virginia, So OT
Myles Murphy, Clemson, Jr DE
Chris Murray, Oklahoma, Rs Sr OG
PJ Mustipher, Penn State, S-Sr DT
Chris Ojoh, New Mexico State, Sr LB
Olu Oluwatimi, Michigan, S-Sr C
DeMarvion Overshown, University of Texas, 5th Yr, LB
Jarrett Patterson, Notre Dame, Gr-S OL
Patrick Paul, Houston, So OT
David Perales, Fresno State, Sr DE
Bumper Pool, Arkansas, Rs Sr LB
Layden Robinson, Texas A&M, Sr OG
John Michael Schmitz, Minnesota, S-Sr C
Noah Sewell, Oregon, So LB
Trenton Simpson, Clemson, Jr LB
Peter Skoronski, Northwestern, Jr OT
Jacob Slade, Michigan State, Rs Sr DT
Nolan Smith, Georgia, Sr LB
Javon Solomon, Troy, So LB
Josaiah Stewart, Coastal Carolina, So Bandit
Dante Stills, West Virginia, S-Sr DL
Ron Stone Jr., Washington State, Rs Jr Edge
Henry To’oTo’o, Alabama, Sr ILB
O’Cyrus Torrence, Florida, Jr OL
Tuli Tuipulotu, USC, Jr DT
Andrew Vorhees, USC, Rs Sr OG
TEN MOST RECENT WINNERS
- 2012 – Manti Te’o, Notre Dame
- 2013 – Aaron Donald, Pitt
- 2014 – Scooby Wright III, Arizona
- 2015 – Carl Nassib, Penn State
- 2016 – Jonathan Allen, Alabama
- 2017 – Bryce Love, Stanford*
- 2018 – Ugo Amadi, Oregon*
- 2019 – Joe Burrow, LSU*
- 2020 – Zaven Collins, Tulsa*
- 2021 – Aidan Hutchinson, TTUN
*From 2017 to 2020 The award was extended to all players, not just offensive or defensive linemen and linebackers. Starting in 2021 the award returned to it’s format of being for offensive and defensive linemen and linebackers.
MY PAST TEN WINNERS
The past ten winners I would have chosen for this award after the bowl games (a flaw of college football) and thus taken the entire season into account. I also account for how their overall performance effected their team in a season.
- 2012 – John Simon, Ohio State
- 2013 – Aaron Donald, Pitt
- 2014 – Joey Bosa, Ohio State
- 2015 – Carl Nassib, Penn State
- 2016 – Myles Garrett, Texas A&M
- 2017 – Roquan Smith, Georgia
- 2018 – Josh Allen, Kentucky
- 2019 – Chase Young, Ohio State
- 2020 – Wyatt Davis, Ohio State
- 2021 – Will Anderson, Alabama
MY TOP TEN FOR 2022
- Will Anderson, Alabama
- Paris Johnson Jr., Ohio State
- Blake Freeland, BYU
- Will McDonald IV, Iowa State
- Noah Sewell, Oregon
- Zach Harrison, Ohio State
- Clark Barrington, BYU
- Henry To’o To’o, Alabama
- Jack Campbell, Iowa
- Dante Stills, West Virginia
For More Great Football Content
Follow us on Twitter at @GridironHeroics for more great content. We appreciate you taking time to read our articles. To interact more with our community and keep up to date on the latest in Football news, JOIN OUR FREE FACEBOOK GROUP by CLICKING HERE
