TEMPE, Ariz. -- Sophomore defensive back Chase Lucas has been named to the watch list for the annual Bronko Nagurski Trophy, as announced today by the Football Writers Association of America.
Presented by the FWAA and the Charlotte (N.C.) Touchdown Club, the Nagurski Trophy is named in honor of Bronko Nagurski, a charter member of the National Football Foundation Hall of Fame and member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Nagurski played tackle, fullback, defensive end and lineman at the University of Minnesota (1927-1929) and with the NFL Chicago Bears (1930-1937, 1943).
The Nagurski Trophy honors the nation's best defensive college football player. Created in 1993, its original intent was to serve as a defense equivalent to the Heisman Trophy, which at the time had never been awarded to a defensive player.
Lucas became the 10th Sun Devil to earn FWAA Freshman All-America honors following the 2017 season. With the honor, Lucas joined Kareem Orr, DJ Calhoun, Junior Onyeali, Vontaze Burfict, Lawrence Guy, Omar Bolden, Thomas Weber, Zach Miller and Chris MacDonald who also earned the honor following their first season of collegiate football.
During the regular season, Lucas allowed just 40 catches despite being targeted 78 times for a menial 51.2 completion percentage while allowing an NFL QBR of 72.4 with two interceptions and six passes defended.
Despite being targeted more than any of the 23 Pac-12 corners that played at least 60 percent of snaps in the 2017 regular season (once every 4.6 passing plays), Lucas allowed the fifth-lowest completion percentage of any corner in the conference.
Lucas finished the season with 59 tackles, good for fifth on the team during 2017, with a team-leading eight pass breakups and two interceptions.
Following the season, Lucas was named to the Pac-12 Second Team at defensive back, making him the first freshman to earn First or Second team honors on offense or defense since Oregon running back Royce Freeman earned Second Team offense honors in 2014 (UO's Charles Nelson and USC's JuJu Smith made that team as specialists).
Lucas was the first defensive freshman to make the All-Pac-12 team since UCLA's Myles Jack in 2013 and became the first freshman defensive back to make the First or Second teams since Brandon Browner did so for Oregon State back in 2003.
Presented by the FWAA and the Charlotte (N.C.) Touchdown Club, the Nagurski Trophy is named in honor of Bronko Nagurski, a charter member of the National Football Foundation Hall of Fame and member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Nagurski played tackle, fullback, defensive end and lineman at the University of Minnesota (1927-1929) and with the NFL Chicago Bears (1930-1937, 1943).
The Nagurski Trophy honors the nation's best defensive college football player. Created in 1993, its original intent was to serve as a defense equivalent to the Heisman Trophy, which at the time had never been awarded to a defensive player.
Lucas became the 10th Sun Devil to earn FWAA Freshman All-America honors following the 2017 season. With the honor, Lucas joined Kareem Orr, DJ Calhoun, Junior Onyeali, Vontaze Burfict, Lawrence Guy, Omar Bolden, Thomas Weber, Zach Miller and Chris MacDonald who also earned the honor following their first season of collegiate football.
During the regular season, Lucas allowed just 40 catches despite being targeted 78 times for a menial 51.2 completion percentage while allowing an NFL QBR of 72.4 with two interceptions and six passes defended.
Despite being targeted more than any of the 23 Pac-12 corners that played at least 60 percent of snaps in the 2017 regular season (once every 4.6 passing plays), Lucas allowed the fifth-lowest completion percentage of any corner in the conference.
Lucas finished the season with 59 tackles, good for fifth on the team during 2017, with a team-leading eight pass breakups and two interceptions.
Following the season, Lucas was named to the Pac-12 Second Team at defensive back, making him the first freshman to earn First or Second team honors on offense or defense since Oregon running back Royce Freeman earned Second Team offense honors in 2014 (UO's Charles Nelson and USC's JuJu Smith made that team as specialists).
Lucas was the first defensive freshman to make the All-Pac-12 team since UCLA's Myles Jack in 2013 and became the first freshman defensive back to make the First or Second teams since Brandon Browner did so for Oregon State back in 2003.