Chase Young Wins 2019 Nagurski Trophy As Nation’s Top Defensive Player

Ohio State junior defensive end Chase Young has won the 2019 Bronco Nagurski Trophy as the nation’s top defensive player.

Young was one of five finalists for the award and was selected by the Football Writers Association of America over Auburn defensive tackle Derrick Brown, Minnesota safety Antoine Winfield, Jr., Georgia safety JR Reed, and Clemson linebacker Isaiah Simmons.

The Nagurski Trophy has been presented since 1993 and Young becomes just the second Buckeye to win the award, joining former linebacker James Laurinaitis, who won the award in 2006.

Despite missing two games, Chase Young leads the nation with 16.5 sacks and is fourth nationally with 21.0 tackles for loss.

Ohio State’s last two opponents have had to resort to double and triple-teams to keep their quarterbacks upright, but Young still makes an impact against every offense he faces.

He is one of the reasons the Buckeyes have the No. 2 pass efficiency defense in the nation.

Earlier in the night, Young was named a Heisman Trophy finalist. He has already been named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, the Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year, and the Big Ten’s Silver Football winner as the conference’s best player.

It is unlikely that this will be his final award of the season.

Young is also a finalist for the Chuck Bednarik Award, which goes annually to the nation’s top defensive player. He is also a finalist for the Maxwell Award, which is given to the nation’s top player regardless of offense or defense.

Those two awards will be presented Thursday, December 12 on ESPN’s College Football Awards Show, which begins at 7:00 pm.

Other Buckeyes up for awards that night will be quarterback Justin Fields (Davy O’Brien National Quarterback Award), cornerback Jeff Okudah (Jim Thorpe Award), and JK Dobbins (Doak Walker Award).

Young is also a finalist for the Walter Camp Player of the Year, along with teammate Justin Fields.

The winner, who is voted on by the 130 Football Bowl Subdivision head coaches and sports information directors, will be announced on Thursday, Dec. 12 during the 6 p.m. edition of SportsCenter.