Boise State edge rusher named to preseason watch list

Colorado’s Travis Hunter received last year’s Lott IMPACT Trophy. He also edged out Boise State tailback Ashton Jeanty for the Heisman Trophy. 

Jayden Virgin-Morgan starred on Boise State’s defensive front as a sophomore, leading the team with 10 sacks while recording 40 total tackles (15.5 for loss), one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. He was voted first-team all-Mountain West Conference. 

The 6-foot-3, 253-pound Virgin-Morgan is the only Group of 5 player on the Lott IMPACT Trophy watch list. 

“He’s a guy who’s been putting in the work constantly, day in and day out,” Boise State edge rusher coach Jabril Frazier said of Virgin-Morgan. “He had a really good spring in the weight room. He’s put on some more weight, more mass. He’s got more strength and I feel is even more explosive now. 

“He knows the role he’s going to have this year, similar to the role that Ahmed (Hassanein) had going into his senior year in terms of guys know who you are now. How do you handle that?”

Hassanein, a sixth-round draft pick by the Detroit Lions, had 9.5 sacks last year as Boise State led the country with 55 total sacks. 

Here are the 42 players on the Lott IMPACT Trophy watch list:

David Bailey, Texas Tech, Linebacker

Rueben Bain, Miami, Edge

Caleb Banks, Florida, Defensive Tackle

Taye Brown, Arizona, Linebacker

Dontay Corleone, Cincinnati, Defensive Tackle 

Tacario Davis, Washington, Cornerback

Caleb Downs, Ohio State, Safety

Daylen Everette, Georgia, Cornerback

Keldric Faulk, Auburn, Edge

Eric Gentry, USC, Linebacker 

Aaron Graves, Iowa, Defensive Tackle

AJ Harris, Penn State, Cornerback

Anthony Hill, Texas, Linebacker

Gabe Jacas, Illinois, Linebacker

Mikail Kamara, Indiana, Linebacker

Jalon Kilgore, South Carolina, Defensive Back

Deontae Lawson, Alabama, Linebacker

Kyle Louis, Pitt, Linebacker

Jermod McCoy, Tennessee, Cornerback

DJ McKinney, Colorado, Cornerback

Derrick Moore, Michigan, Edge

Leonard Moore, Notre Dame, Cornerback

Eric O’Neill, Rutgers, Edge

LT Overton, Alabama, Defensive Tackle

TJ Parker, Clemson, Edge

Koi Perich, Minnesota, Safety

Harold Perkins Jr., LSU, Linebacker

Kamari Ramsey, USC, Safety

Chandler Rivers, Duke, Cornerback

Colin Simmons, Texas, Edge

Anthony Smith, Minnesota, Defensive Tackle

Xavian Sorey Jr., Arkansas, Linebacker

Dylan Stewart, South Carolina, Edge

Sonny Styles, Ohio State, Linebacker

Michael Taaffe, Texas, Safety

Dillon Thieneman, Oregon, Safety

R. Mason Thomas, Oklahoma, Defensive End

Matayo Uiagalelei, Oregon, Edge

Jayden Virgin-Morgan, Boise State, Edge

Whit Weeks, LSU, Linebacker

Peter Woods, Clemson, Defensive Tackle

Taurean York, Texas A&M, Linebacker