Caleb Downs and Sonny Styles are among the top defensive talents named to the Bronko Nagurski Trophy watch list, while a new wave of elite defenders across the college football landscape is quietly preparing to stake their claim to national recognition in the 2025 season. With the college football world preparing for another transformative year, the naming of the watch list carries not just symbolic value but real implications for NFL draft scouts, coaching reputations, and team success. For players like Downs and Styles, this is not just preseason recognition—it’s a public declaration that they are expected to be among the most disruptive, technically refined, and versatile defensive players in all of college football.
Caleb Downs, now at Ohio State after transferring from Alabama, enters the 2025 campaign with sky-high expectations and an established résumé. As a true freshman at Alabama in 2023, Downs quickly became a leader on defense. His instincts, tackling efficiency, and coverage acumen were almost unnatural for his age. Leading the Crimson Tide in tackles that season, he not only solidified his status as a freshman All-American but also drew comparisons to some of Nick Saban’s most elite defensive backs of the past decade. His transfer shocked the college football community but proved to be a huge boost for Ohio State’s defense. In Columbus, Downs has quickly risen to become the heart and soul of the Buckeye secondary, anchoring a unit that is expected to be one of the best in the country. What separates Downs from many of his peers is his combination of intelligence, field awareness, and a relentless work ethic. He’s rarely out of position, routinely sniffs out plays before they develop, and punishes ball carriers with textbook tackling technique.
Sonny Styles, also of Ohio State, is another name that echoes loudly across the sport. At 6-foot-4 and nearly 230 pounds, Styles is a freakish athlete who can line up at multiple positions. He has the size and strength to play in the box like a linebacker and the speed and agility to cover receivers like a corner. His versatility has made him a nightmare for offensive coordinators, who often find themselves forced to account for his presence no matter where he lines up. Styles’ 2024 season was a masterclass in hybrid safety play. He finished with strong numbers across all categories—tackles, pass breakups, sacks, forced fumbles—demonstrating just how multidimensional his impact can be. And just like Downs, his leadership in the locker room and maturity beyond his years make him a cornerstone for Ohio State’s championship aspirations.
What makes this duo so fascinating is not just their individual brilliance, but how they complement each other. While Downs excels in deep zone and open-field tackling, Styles thrives in the chaos near the line of scrimmage. One handles the finesse, the other brings the thunder. Together, they form what may be the most complete safety tandem in the nation, and if Ohio State’s defense becomes as suffocating as many expect, these two will be central to that dominance.
But the Bronko Nagurski Trophy watch list isn’t just about household names from powerhouse programs. It’s also a spotlight for less-heralded stars who have quietly built elite résumés and are poised for breakout seasons. Players like Abdul Carter from Penn State, Malaki Starks of Georgia, and Harold Perkins Jr. of LSU are among those who bring star power and production into the 2025 campaign. Each of them has a unique style and background that showcases the diversity and evolution of modern college defenses.
Carter is a throwback linebacker with new-age speed. With his quick-twitch ability and instincts, he consistently blows up plays in the backfield and is a sideline-to-sideline threat. Penn State’s defense under Manny Diaz has become one of the most consistently aggressive units in the Big Ten, and Carter is often the tip of that spear. His knack for anticipating plays and arriving with bad intentions has made him one of the most feared linebackers in the country. He plays angry, but smart—an ideal combination for a defensive leader.
Meanwhile, in Athens, Malaki Starks anchors a Georgia defense that continues to reload at an absurd pace. After the Bulldogs lost multiple defensive stars to the NFL Draft in recent years, it was Starks who emerged as the next great Georgia defender. His ball-hawking skills, elite range, and sudden explosiveness give Georgia a critical advantage in pass-heavy SEC matchups. While many defensive backs are either great in man or zone, Starks is effective in both, and his footwork is among the best you’ll find at the collegiate level. There’s a fluidity in his movement and a cerebral quality to his game that makes him dangerous even when he’s not directly targeted—quarterbacks are aware of where he is at all times.
Harold Perkins Jr. might be the most polarizing and electrifying name on the list. LSU’s coaching staff has used him as a Swiss army knife: edge rusher, off-ball linebacker, spy, and even in occasional coverage. His burst off the line of scrimmage is almost unfair. With his long arms and natural leverage, Perkins is a terror on third downs, where he forces quarterbacks into rushed throws or sacks. What he brings in raw athleticism, he’s begun to match with improved technique and better pre-snap recognition. LSU is counting on him to be a game-changer every week, especially in a competitive SEC West that features elite quarterback play.
Beyond the high-profile names, there are defenders from smaller programs or non-traditional powers who have caught the attention of scouts and voters. Players from the Group of Five or even lesser-known Power Five schools are included because of statistical excellence and film that backs up their performance. These are the players who may not get primetime attention every week but dominate in their own arenas. Their inclusion in the watch list validates that talent can be found anywhere, and NFL evaluators often keep a close eye on how they perform against top-tier competition.
The Bronko Nagurski Trophy, awarded annually to the nation’s best defensive player, is not just a recognition of talent—it is a measuring stick for how dominant a defender is within his system, scheme, and competition level. Past winners include legends like Ndamukong Suh, Luke Kuechly, and Will Anderson Jr., each of whom redefined their positions during their collegiate careers. Being named to the watch list is the first step toward joining that elite company, but it’s only the beginning. Consistency, durability, and game-changing moments will be the true currency as the season unfolds.
The college football landscape in 2025 is uniquely poised for a defensive renaissance. With offensive schemes becoming more complex, more vertical, and more spread-out, the job of a modern defender is no longer just about size and strength—it’s about adaptability, football IQ, and precision. Downs and Styles exemplify this shift. They are products of a new era where safeties are asked to do everything—cover the slot, blitz off the edge, stuff the run, and play center field. It’s no longer enough to be good at one thing. To make a real impact, defenders must be versatile chess pieces that can flip the board.
The stakes for the 2025 season are massive. With conference realignment changing the geography and dynamics of rivalries, players like Downs and Styles will face new challenges and unfamiliar opponents. How they respond in high-pressure moments, in front of massive crowds, with playoff hopes on the line, will be the true litmus test of their greatness. And with the College Football Playoff expanding, the number of high-leverage games will increase, providing more opportunities for defenders to make statement performances.
While preseason watch lists are not predictive in nature, they offer a snapshot of who has already earned the respect of the college football world. For NFL front offices, they’re also a checklist of who to monitor most closely. The defensive side of the 2025 NFL Draft could be as stacked as any in recent memory, and players like Downs, Styles, Carter, Starks, and Perkins will all be vying for top-10 consideration if they maintain or elevate their level of play.
Leadership, consistency, and adaptability will be the critical differentiators. It’s not just about compiling stats or going viral for a big hit—it’s about taking command of a defense, setting the tone, and making the players around you better. That’s what the Bronko Nagurski Trophy seeks to honor, and that’s why being named to the watch list matters so much. It tells the football world: these are the defenders to fear, to respect, and to emulate.
As summer training camps continue and Week 1 approaches, the buzz around these elite defenders will only grow louder. Every rep in practice, every film session, every weight lifted is part of a journey toward becoming the most feared defensive player in America. For now, the watch list serves as a roll call of excellence. But by season’s end, only one will rise above the rest. Caleb Downs and Sonny Styles are not just early frontrunners—they are tone-setters for a new generation of defensive dominance. And if their past performances are any indication, they are not just playing for awards—they’re playing to redefine what elite defense looks like in modern college football.
