Kentucky defensive back Maxwell Hairston and defensive lineman Deone Walker were among 75 Division I FBS players named to the preseason watch list for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, given to college football’s top defensive standout every year since 1993, the Football Writers Association of America and Charlotte Touchdown Club announced Tuesday.
The juniors, both Detroit natives, each have a chance to become the second Wildcat to win the award, following in linebacker Josh Allen’s footsteps in 2018.
Hairston, a 6-foot-1, 186-pounder, ranked fifth in the nation last season after nabbing five interceptions, including four against SEC foes. He recorded two interceptions, both returned for touchdowns, in UK’s 45-28 win at Vanderbilt and was named the national defensive player of the week for his effort.
“We think the world of him,” Cats coach Mark Stoops told reporters at SEC Media Days. “He’s a difference-maker. He’s an elite player, a guy that will play on Sundays.”
Along with leading the league in takeaways, Hairston was eighth in the SEC with 11 pass breakups in 2023.
Walker, a 6-6, 348-pound behemoth, posted a team-best 12.5 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks and eight quarterback hurries last year despite facing constant double- and triple-team attention. He also swatted two passes, including one that led to an interception return setting up a touchdown in UK’s 33-14 victory over Florida.
Walker, a former Freshman All-American, was named a permanent team captain last year and has started in 24 consecutive games — but he’s still hungry for more.
“It was really more so just having a bad taste in our mouths, leaving our seniors off with a (loss) last year,” Walker said of his motivation moving forward. “We’re just worried about week one. We’re worried about getting everything squared away and keep the main thing the main thing.”
With nine starters set to return for UK’s defense, Walker is optimistic about the year ahead.
“We got a bunch of strengths,” he said. “I say that we play together. We’re a bunch of experienced guys. We got years together, but on our defensive line, we got me, Octavious Oxendine, Tre Rybka, Kahlil Saunders, Keeshawn Silver, Josaih Hayes. We got a bunch of guys. We got our secondary with three, four years of experience with Maxwell Hairston, who just had a break-out last year.
“We’re a complete defense right now, but we just have to work on staying together and never wavering.”
Georgia led all SEC teams with three watch list selections, followed by two apiece from Kentucky, Alabama, Oklahoma, Texas and Texas A&M. As a conference, the SEC had 19 players picked. Ohio State led all programs with four selections.
Others on the watch list include Notre Dame defensive back Xavier Watts, last year’s winner, and Louisville defensive end Ashton Gillotte, who posted 11 sacks in 2023.
The Nagurski Trophy winner will be chosen on Dec. 9 from five finalists named on Nov. 20, with voting from the FWAA All-America Committee. The group will also name its 26-man All-America Team along the way.
The Nagurski Trophy is named in honor of the former two-way star from Minnesota, who later went on to play for the Chicago Bears in the 1930s.
Messenger-Inquirer, Owensboro, Ky.
