MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State junior defensive back D.J. Reed was one of 45 players nationally to be named to the watch list for the 2017 Jim Thorpe Award as the nation’s best defensive back, the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame announced Friday.

 

The honor is Reed’s third watch list recognition this week following his inclusion on the Bednarik Award and Nagurski Trophy lists, both honoring the best defensive player in college football. He is one of only two Big 12 players to land on all three lists, joining West Virginia’s Dravon Askew-Henry.

 

This year marks the fifth time since 2011 a Wildcat is a candidate for the Jim Thorpe Award. Dante Barnett was a preseason candidate in 2015 before Nigel Malone (2011 and 2012) and Ty Zimmerman (2013) were semifinalists. Former Wildcat defensive back Terence Newman, who is entering his 15^th NFL season in 2017, won the award in 2002.

 

A product of Bakersfield, California, Reed jumped onto the national scene last year after transferring from Cerritos College as he led the Big 12 and tied for fifth nationally with 19 passes defended, which included three interceptions. Reed, who tied for second on the team with 75 tackles, picked up 2016 Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year accolades from the league’s coaches in addition to being named a First Team All-Big 12 performer.

 

Reed tallied a pass breakup or interception in 10 of his 13 games last year – including a season-high four deflections at Baylor and another three the next week against Kansas – and returned one of his interceptions 35 yards for a touchdown against Texas Tech en route to Big 12 Newcomer of the Week honors.

 

Reed, along with other team captains Jesse Ertz, Dalton Risner, Trent Tanking and Dayton Valentine in addition to head coach Bill Snyder, will represent K-State at 2017 Big 12 Football Media Days next Tuesday at The Star in Frisco, Texas. Fans can follow media day coverage on K-State Football’s official Twitter handle, @KStateFB, and the Big 12 website, www.big12sports.com. The two-day event will also be televised live from 9 a.m., to 1 p.m., on FS2 and various FOX Sports Regional Networks, including FOX Sports Midwest and FOX Sports Kansas City.

 

The Wildcats begin their seven-game home schedule and 2017 season slate on Saturday, September 2, against Central Arkansas, a game that serves as the ninth-annual K-State Family Reunion. As K-State draws nearer to running its consecutive sellout streak to 40 games, tickets can be purchased through the K-State Athletics Ticket office online at www.k-statesports.com/tickets, by phone at 1-800-221-CATS or at the main ticket office inside Bramlage Coliseum.

 

Wildcats on National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA) Watch Lists

Jesse Ertz (QB) – Maxwell Award

Will Geary (DT) – Bronko Nagurski Trophy; Outland Trophy

Reid Najvar (OL) – Rimington Trophy

D.J. Reed (DB) – Bednarik Award; Bronko Nagurski Trophy; Jim Thorpe Award

Dalton Risner (OL) – Outland Trophy

Dayton Valentine (TE) – Mackey Award

Reggie Walker (DE) – Bronko Nagurski Trophy

 

– k-statesports.com –

 

Kansas State University, the nation’s first operational land-grant institution and a Carnegie Foundation Tier One university, is recognized as one of the nation’s best colleges with world-class research and academic excellence located in America’s No. 1 College Town (Manhattan, KS).

 

————
RYAN LACKEY
Asst. Director/Athletics Communications | K-State Athletics

MANHATTAN, Kan. – With senior defensive tackle Will Geary landing on both lists, four Kansas State football players were named to the watch lists presented by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) on Thursday.

 

Geary was named to watch lists for both the Bronko Nagurski Trophy – presented to the nation’s most outstanding defensive player – and Outland Trophy – presented to the nation’s most outstanding interior lineman. He was joined on the Nagurski Trophy list by defensive end Reggie Walker and defensive back D.J. Reed, while offensive lineman Dalton Risner was also named to the Outland Trophy watch list.

 

It marks the second-straight year at least three Wildcat defenders are candidates for the Nagurski Trophy, while Geary is a candidate for the Outland Trophy for a second-straight season. He was one of 19 defensive tackles up for the Nagurski Trophy and one of 21 up for the Outland Trophy. Reed is earning his second defensive player of the year designation this week after being listed by the Bednarik Award on Monday.

 

A product of Topeka, Kansas, Geary is the first K-State defensive tackle in school history to earn two-straight First Team All-Big 12 honors from the Associated Press as he did so in 2015 and 2016. He started all 13 games last year, ranking ninth on the team with 45 tackles, while he was third with 7.0 tackles for loss. He ended the regular season on a high note with a career-high 3.5 TFLs and a season-best seven tackles at TCU.

 

Walker, the 2016 Defensive Freshman of the Year and a Freshman All-American by the FWAA, led all Big 12 freshmen with 11.5 TFLs and 6.5 sacks, the latter ranking fourth nationally among freshmen.

 

The 2016 Defensive Newcomer of the Year and First Team All-Big 12 honoree, Reed tied for second on the team with 75 tackles a year ago, while he led the Big 12 and ranked fifth nationally with 19 passes defended.

 

Risner picked up First Team All-Big 12 honors as a tackle in 2016 despite moving from center just prior to the season. He was a major part of K-State’s run-blocking unit that that paved the way for a school record 5.27-yard per carry average and ranked in the top 10 in three other categories. Earlier this week, Risner was named a candidate for the America Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Good Works Team, honoring players who display dedication to volunteerism and enriching the lives of others.

 

Walker, Reed and Risner were also named Preseason All-Big 12 picks by the league’s media on Wednesday.

 

Risner and Reed, along with other team captains Jesse Ertz, Trent Tanking and Dayton Valentine in addition to head coachBill Snyder, will represent K-State at 2017 Big 12 Football Media Days next Tuesday at The Star in Frisco, Texas. Fans can follow media day coverage on K-State Football’s official Twitter handle, @KStateFB, and the Big 12 website, www.big12sports.com. The two-day event will also be televised live from 9 a.m., to 1 p.m., on FS2 and various FOX Sports Regional Networks, including FOX Sports Midwest and FOX Sports Kansas City.

 

K-State opens its seven-game home schedule and 2017 season slate on Saturday, September 2, against Central Arkansas, a game that serves as the ninth-annual K-State Family Reunion. As K-State draws nearer to running its consecutive sellout streak to 40 games, tickets can be purchased through the K-State Athletics Ticket office online at www.k-statesports.com/tickets, by phone at 1-800-221-CATS or at the main ticket office inside Bramlage Coliseum.

 

Wildcats on National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA) Watch Lists

Jesse Ertz (QB) – Maxwell Award

Will Geary (DT) – Bronko Nagurski Trophy; Outland Trophy

Reid Najvar (OL) – Rimington Trophy

D.J. Reed (DB) – Bednarik Award; Bronko Nagurski Trophy

Dalton Risner (OL) – Outland Trophy

Dayton Valentine (TE) – Mackey Award

Reggie Walker (DE) – Bronko Nagurski Trophy

 

– k-statesports.com –

 

RYAN LACKEY
Asst. Director/Athletics Communications | K-State Athletics

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Led by a trio of juniors, Kansas State totaled four football players named to the Preseason All-Big 12 team as chosen by media representatives who cover the league, the conference office announced Wednesday.

 

Winston Dimel (fullback), Dalton Risner (offensive line) and D.J. Reed (defensive back) were joined by sophomore Reggie Walker (defensive line) to give the Wildcats the third-most players on the list behind Texas and defending champion Oklahoma. Dimel was named to the preseason team for a second-straight year, while the other three are first-time honorees.

 

Dimel, Risner and Reed each earned 2016 First Team All-Big 12 honors from the league’s coaches, while Walker was the Defensive Freshman of the Year, as they led K-State to a 9-4 record and a victory in the Texas Bowl.

 

A product of Manhattan, Dimel has started all 26 career games and has 18 career rushing touchdowns, five shy of entering the school’s top-10 list. He is coming off a season in which he registered 12 rushing touchdowns, which tied for third in the Big 12.

 

Risner started all 13 games at right tackle in 2016 after starting every game at center the year prior. Both he and Dimel were an integral part to K-State’s rushing attack, which set the school record for rushing yards per carry (5.27) and ranked in the top 10 in three other categories.

 

Reed, a community-college transfer prior to last year, was the 2016 Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year after ranking fifth nationally and tying for third in school history with a Big 12-leading 19 passes defended. A member of the 2017 Bednarik Award watch list, Reed tied for second on the team with 75 tackles to go along with three interceptions.

 

A native of Ponchatoula, Louisiana, Walker collected 11.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks to earn Freshman All-America honors from the Football Writers Association of America. He finished seventh in the Big 12 in sacks and eighth in TFLs but was tops among freshmen in both categories, while he ranked fourth nationally among freshmen in sacks.

 

Risner and Reed, along with other team captains Jesse Ertz, Trent Tanking and Dayton Valentine in addition to head coach Bill Snyder, will represent K-State at 2017 Big 12 Football Media Day next Tuesday at The Star in Frisco, Texas. Fans can follow media day coverage on K-State Football’s official Twitter handle, @KStateFB, and the Big 12 website, www.big12sports.com. The two-day event will also be televised live from 9 a.m., to 1 p.m., on FS2 and various FOX Sports Regional Networks, including FOX Sports Midwest and FOX Sports Kansas City.

 

Kansas State begins is 2017 season and seven-game home schedule with the ninth-annual K-State Family Reunion on Saturday, September 2, against Central Arkansas. As K-State draws nearer to running its consecutive sellout streak to 40 games, tickets can be purchased through the K-State Athletics Ticket office online at www.k-statesports.com/tickets, by phone at 1-800-221-CATS or at the main ticket office inside Bramlage Coliseum.

 

– k-statesports.com –

 

RYAN LACKEY

Asst. Director/Athletics Communications | K-State Athletics

MANHATTAN, Kan. – For the first time since 2009, a Kansas State tight end is a candidate for the John Mackey Award as Dayton Valentine earned a spot on the 2017 preseason watch list, the organization announced Tuesday.

 

Additionally, center Reid Najvar was named to the Rimington Trophy watch list after being placed on the award’s spring watch list in May.

 

Valentine, a product of Baldwin City, Kansas, is just the third Wildcat to be a candidate for the John Mackey Award, following 2004 preseason candidate Brian Casey and 2009 midseason candidate Jeron Mastrud. Najvar’s mention for the Rimington Trophy is the eighth by a Wildcat and seventh since 2010. B.J. Finney was a candidate in 2012 and 2013 before being a finalist as a senior in 2014. Nick Leckey was also a finalist during his senior campaign in 2003, while other previous K-State candidates include Jordan Bedore (2008), Wade Weibert (2010) andDalton Risner (2016).

 

Both Valentine and Najvar were Honorable Mention All-Big 12 picks by the league’s coaches in 2016 after starting all 13 games and helping lead the Wildcats to a 9-4 record and a victory in the Texas Bowl. The duo played a significant part in K-State’s run-blocking unit that set the school record for rushing yards per carry (5.27), rank third in school history in total rushing yards (3,013) and rushing yards per game (231.8), and seventh in rushing touchdowns (39). K-State’s 39 rushing scores ranked sixth in the nation last year, the first time the Wildcats ranked in the top 10 since 2012.

 

The Wildcats open their seven-game home slate and the 2017 season with the ninth-annual K-State Family Reunion on Saturday, September 2, against Central Arkansas. As K-State draws nearer to running its consecutive sellout streak to 40 games, tickets can be purchased through the K-State Athletics Ticket office online at www.k-statesports.com/tickets, by phone at 1-800-221-CATS or at the main ticket office inside Bramlage Coliseum.

 

– k-statesports.com –

 

RYAN LACKEY
Asst. Director/Athletics Communications | K-State Athletics