![\"\"](\"https:\/\/draftinsiders.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Alt-ND-300x157.jpg\")
<\/h3>\n<\/h3>\nThe Football Writers Association of America announced the preseason watch list for the 2023 Outland Trophy, recognizing 91 returning standout interior linemen representing all 10 Division I FBS conferences and independents. The 2023 season will close with the award’s 78th anniversary and the watch list offers a talented field of players alongside two returning FWAA All-Americans.<\/p>\n
The recipient of the 2023 Outland Trophy will be announced on The Home Depot College Football Awards, live on ESPN in December. The official presentation to the winner will be made at the Outland Trophy Awards Dinner sponsored by Werner Enterprises and produced by the Greater Omaha Sports Committee in Omaha, Neb., on Jan. 10, 2024.<\/p>\n
Photo – OT Joe Alt \u2013 Notre Dame by Michael Reaves\/Getty Images)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n The returning FWAA All-Americans, both of them from last season\u2019s Second Team, are offensive tackle Joe Alt of Notre Dame and defensive tackle Tyler Davis of Clemson. Michigan leads the list as the lone team with four selections, three from the offensive line with guards Trevor Keegan and Zak Zinter playing on either side of center Drake Nugent, a Stanford transfer, along with defensive tackle Kris Jenkins. The Wolverines were in the top five nationally last season in the primary rushing categories of yards per carry (3rd, 5.58) and yards per game (5th, 238.9) with 41 rushing touchdowns as they reached the College Football Playoff semifinals.<\/p>\n Defending national champion Georgia leads five schools that have three players represented \u2013 center Sedrick Van Pran, guard Tate Ratledge and defensive tackle Nazir Stackhouse. It joins Alabama and LSU, also with three each, to bolster the Southeastern Conference\u2019s league-high 17 selections. LSU defensive tackle Mekhi Wingo tied for the most votes among returning players for last season\u2019s Outland Trophy. Almost half of the SEC\u2019s list \u2013 eight of 17 \u2013 are defensive tackles.<\/p>\n Frank Coyle is a long-time scout with nationwide ties with coaches, scouts and player agents. He is a long-time member of the FWAA and voter in College player awards \u2013 Heisman, Biletnikoff, Thorpe, Outland, Nagurski, Lombardi etc for the past 25 years. He writes College Football Mondays weekly during the season. He is a consultant to many NFL player agents related to all levels of preparation for the NFL Draft process. He was a longtime scouting consultant for the Senior Bowl, the nation\u2019s premier postseason All-star game. He does sports radio shows for ESPN, Fox Sports and Sporting News on a year-round basis related to College Football especially during the postseason team and All-star Bowl time. He has worked for CBS Sports, NBC Sports, Yahoo and Rivals sports publications and web sites.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n A trio from Utah heads up a dozen Pac-12 Conference players on the list, second only to the SEC. Utah defensive tackle Junior Tafuna is the only defensive tackle among the Pac-12 players. The Big Ten Conference is third with 11 total led by Michigan\u2019s four and three from Ohio State, a CFP semifinalist last year that has guards Donovan Jackson and Matt Jones back from the nation\u2019s second-best scoring offense (44.2 ppg) joining defensive tackle Mike Hall on the list. Penn State offensive tackle Olumuyiwa Fashanu, who tied Wingo for the highest vote totals from last season\u2019s Outland Trophy tallies, made the list along with two from Illinois, one on each side of the ball.<\/p>\n Notre Dame and Clemson each have a pair on the list with Alt joining Notre Dame offensive tackle teammate Blake Fisher and Davis having Clemson defensive tackle teammate Ruke Orhorhoro alongside him as the Atlantic Coast Conference\u2019s only defensive representatives. Besides Michigan\u2019s Nugent, the ACC has the other two players who are transfers onto their new teams in Florida State offensive tackle Jeremiah Byers (UTEP) and Miami guard Javion Cohen (Alabama).<\/p>\n The Big 12 Conference has 10 players on the list spread among nine different schools, including one each from its four new members at BYU, Cincinnati, Houston and UCF. Kansas State is the lone Big 12 school with two members in offensive tackles Cooper Beebe and KT Leveston.<\/p>\n Other schools with two players on the list are Arizona, Oregon State and USC from the Pac-12, App State and James Madison from the Sun Belt Conference, Liberty from Conference USA and a trio from the newly-expanded American Athletic Conference, SMU, Tulane and UTSA.<\/p>\n The conference breakdown is as follows. Beyond the 17 from the SEC, 12 from the Pac-12, 11 from the Big Ten and 10 from the Big 12, the ACC and American Athletic have eight, the Sun Belt seven, the Mid-American and Mountain West five each, and Conference USA and the Independents with four apiece.<\/p>\n There are 31 offensive tackles on this year\u2019s list with 24 defensive tackles and 24 guards to go with 12 centers. Just under half of the 133 Football Bowl Subdivision schools \u2013 65 \u2013 are represented.<\/p>\n The Outland Trophy winner is chosen from three finalists who are a part of the annual FWAA All-America Team. The FWAA All-America Committee, after voting input from the entire membership, selects a 26-man first team and eventually the three Outland finalists. Committee members, then by individual ballot, select the winner. Only interior linemen on offense or defense are eligible for the award; ends are not eligible.<\/p>\n Players may be added or removed from the watch list during the course of the season. For the first time, the FWAA will announce an Outland Trophy National Player of the Week each Tuesday this season. If not already on the watch list, each week\u2019s honored player will be added at that time.<\/p>\n Following is the complete 2023 Outland Trophy Watch List.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n G Isaiah Adams, Illinois \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 OT Taliese Fuaga, Oregon St\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 OT Jordan Morgan, Arizona The Outland Trophy, celebrating 78 years since its founding, is the third-oldest major college football award. Created in 1946 when Dr. John Outland presented the FWAA with a financial contribution to initiate the award, the Outland Trophy has been given to the best interior lineman in college football ever since. Dr. Outland, an All-American at the University of Pennsylvania in the late 1890s, eventually took up practice in Kansas City, Mo. An avid outdoorsman, Dr. Outland believed linemen did not get the credit they deserved and wanted an award to recognize them.<\/p>\n The Outland Trophy is a member of the National College Football Awards Association. Founded in 1997, the NCFAA includes college football\u2019s most prestigious awards and its 24 awards have honored more than 900 recipients dating back to 1935. This season, 12 NCFAA awards will honor national players of the week each Tuesday.<\/p>\n2023 Outland Trophy Preseason Watch List<\/h3>\n
\nOT Joe Alt, Notre Dame \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 OT X’Zauvea Gadlin, Liberty\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 C Drake Nugent, Michigan
\nOT Kelvin Banks Jr., Texas\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 G AJ Gillie, Louisiana\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 DT Jaheim Oatis, Alabama
\nOT Graham Barton, Duke\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 OT Matt Goncalves, Pitt \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 DT Ruke Orhorhoro, Clemson
\nOT Cooper Beebe, Kansas State\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 OT Joshua Gray, Oregon St\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 G Justin Osborne, SMU
\nG Cade Bennett, San Diego State\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 DT Mike Hall Jr., Ohio State\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 C Thor Paglialong, Air Force
\nOT Cade Beresford, Boise State \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 OT Makai Hart, UTSA\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 OT Patrick Paul, Houston
\nDT Jordan Bertagnole, Wyoming\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 C Gus Hartwig, Purdue\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 G Lokahi Pauole, UCF
\nG Keaton Bills, Utah\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 OT Christian Haynes, UConn\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 OT Micah Pettus, Ole Miss
\nG Tyler Booker, Alabama\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 C Sincere Haynesworth, Tulane\u00a0 G Prince Pines, Tulane
\nDT Brandon Brown, UTSA\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 C Isaiah Helms, App State\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 OT Nolan Potter, NIU
\nOT Jeremiah Byers, Florida St\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 DT Tonka Hemingway, South Carolina\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 G Deiyantei Powell-Woods, Central Michigan
\nOT Will Campbell, LSU\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 C Bryan Hudson, Louisville\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 DT Keith Randolph Jr., Illinois
\nDT James Carpenter, James Madison\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 G Jarrod Hufford, Iowa State\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 G Tate Ratledge, Georgia
\nDT Kendy Charles, Liberty\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 DT Jaylon Hutchings, Texas Tech\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 DT Kennedy Roberts, Coastal Carolina
\nDT Elijah Chatman, SMU\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 DT McKinley Jackson, Texas A&M\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 DT Justin Rogers, Auburn
\nC Duke Clemens, UCLA \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 G Donovan Jackson, Ohio St\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 OT Nick Rosi, Toledo
\nG Javion Cohen, Miami\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 DT Kris Jenkins, Michigan\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 G Keylan Rutledge, Middle Tennessee
\nOT Josh Conerly Jr., Oregon\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 G Matthew Jones, Ohio State\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 OT Jonah Savaiinaea, Arizona
\nDT Dontay Corleone, Cincinnati\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 OT Emery Jones Jr., LSU\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 OT Clay Servin, Rice
\nG Khalil Crowder, Georgia Southern\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 G Trevor Keegan, Michigan\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 DT Nazir Stackhouse, Georgia
\nC Ethan Crowe, Ball State\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 OT Nick Kidwell, James Madison\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 OT Kingsley Suamataia, BYU
\nDT Jaden Crumedy, Mississippi State\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 G Jarrett Kingston, USC \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 DT Junior Tafuna, Utah
\nDT Tyler Davis, Clemson\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 OT JC Latham, Alabama\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 C Sedrick Van Pran, Georgia
\nC Justin Dedich, USC\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 OT Sataoa Laumea, Utah\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 G Mose Vavao, Fresno State
\nOT Olu Fashanu, Penn State\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 G Quantavious Leslie, WKU\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 DT Deone Walker, Kentucky
\nOT Troy Fautanu, Washington\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 OT KT Leveston, Kansas State\u00a0 DT Daymond Williams, Buffalo
\nG Connor Finucane, Army\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 C Beaux Limmer, Arkansas\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 G Bucky Williams, App State
\nOT Blake Fisher, Notre Dame\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 G Christian Mahogany, Boston College\u00a0 DT Mekhi Wingo, LSU
\nOT Javon Foster, Missouri\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 DT Fish McWilliams, UAB\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 G Zak Zinter, Michigan
\nC Zach Frazier, West Virginia<\/p>\n
![\"image_print\"](\"https:\/\/draftinsiders.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/pdf-print\/images\/print.png\" "\\"Print")