MOBILE, Ala. | The Football Writers Association of America released its 2022 Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List Tuesday, selecting 85 defensive standouts from 61 schools in all 10 Division I FBS conferences plus independents. The watch list includes five returning players from last season's FWAA All-America team.

Among the selections on this year's watch list is South Alabama defensive back Darrell Luter, Jr., who was recently named to the Athlon All-American fourth team and to the Jim Thorpe Watch List, as well as preseason first-team all-Sun Belt honors earlier this week.

He returns after a stellar junior season in which he earned first-team all-conference honors, while also three All-America accolades. He led South Alabama with four interceptions and 10 other passes defended, finishing second in the conference in interceptions and leading the Sun Belt in passes defended per game. He ended the year third in the nation in passes defended per game and was seventh in interceptions per game, while recording the second-highest interception total in school history and the most recorded by a Jaguar since the program moved to FBS in 2012.

The FWAA and the Charlotte Touchdown Club will announce finalists for the 2022 trophy on Nov. 16 and the winner will be unveiled Dec. 5 at the Bronko Nagurski Awards Banquet in Charlotte, N.C.

There are 25 linebackers on the watch list, 18 safeties, 17 defensive ends, 13 cornerbacks and 12 tackles. Players may be added or removed from the watch list during the season. As in previous years, the FWAA will announce a National Defensive Player of the Week each Tuesday this season. If not already on the watch list, each week's honored player will be added at that time.

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