North Carolina defensive end Melkart Abou Jaoude has landed on another preseason list, this time earning a spot on the Bronko Nagurski Trophy watch list, the Football Writers Association of America announced Tuesday.
The Nagurski watch list includes 68 preseason candidates from 47 schools spread across all 10 FBS conferences and the FBS independents. The award goes to the nation’s top defensive player.
Abou Jaoude arrives on the list after a strong 2024 season that earned him Second Team All-ACC recognition. He finished fifth nationally and led the ACC with 10½ sacks, which ranks as the sixth-most in a single season in Tar Heel history.
His workload was just as notable as his production. Abou Jaoude played 646 snaps, the most by a defensive lineman in the ACC, and finished with 47 tackles in those snaps. He also picked up ACC Defensive Lineman of the Week honors after posting a game-high six tackles with 2½ tackles for losses, two sacks and a forced fumble in UNC’s 27-10 win at Syracuse.
Abou Jaoude was one of 10 ACC defensive standouts from seven programs to make the watch list. Miami led the league with three selections and tied for the national lead, with defensive tackle Ahmad Moten Sr., defensive end Damon Wilson II and safety Bryce Fitzgerald all included. Louisville had two players on the list in safety Koen Entringer and defensive end Clev Lubin, while Clemson, Stanford, Virginia and Virginia Tech each had one representative alongside UNCA.
The rest of the ACC names on the list are Clemson linebacker Sammy Brown, Stanford linebacker Matt Rose, Virginia linebacker Kam Robinson and Virginia Tech defensive tackle Kemari Copeland.
The watch list is not final. Players can be added or removed as the season goes on, and the FWAA will also name a Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week every Tuesday. Any player who earns that weekly honor and is not already on the list will be added.
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