CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Texas Tech senior linebacker Jacob Rodriguez added another major accolade to his historic season Monday night, becoming the first Red Raider ever to win the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, awarded annually to the nation’s most outstanding defensive player by the Football Writers Association of America and the Charlotte Touchdown Club.
Rodriguez is also the first Big 12 player to win the Nagurski Trophy since 2009.
The senior captain stood out among a finalist group that included Ohio State safety Caleb Downs, Texas A&M defensive end Cashius Howell, and Notre Dame cornerback Leonard Moore. Rodriguez was Texas Tech’s first finalist for the award since 1995, when Pro Football and College Football Hall of Famer Zach Thomas represented the program.
The honor continues a remarkable postseason run for Rodriguez. On Friday, he received the 2025 Butkus Award in a surprise team presentation ahead of the Big 12 Championship. He was in Newport Beach, California, Sunday as a finalist for the Lott IMPACT Trophy, and he remains in contention for the Lombardi Award, the Walter Camp National Player of the Year, and the Chuck Bednarik Award.
Rodriguez played a pivotal role in Texas Tech’s first Big 12 Championship on Saturday, leading the team with 13 tackles and 1.0 tackle for loss. Entering bowl season, he leads the FBS with seven forced fumbles and ranks among the national top 15 with 117 tackles. He is also the only FBS player since 2005 to record at least five forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and four interceptions in a single season.
His impact defined a Texas Tech defense that leads the nation with 31 takeaways and ranks third in scoring defense at 10.9 points allowed per game. Rodriguez accounted for nine of those takeaways — all during Big 12 play.
The Nagurski Trophy, first awarded in 1993, is part of the National College Football Awards Association and is considered one of college football’s premier defensive honors.
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