Wisconsin football: Eric Burrell is named to the Bronko Nagurski watch list

The Wisconsin Badgers have been pretty well represented this Watch List SZN and safety Eric Burrell has been more well represented than most. The Bronko Nagurski Award watch list was announced on Tuesday and Burrell made the cut. The Nagurski Award is given to the best defensive player in the country and 98 players are on the initial list.

In his first season as a full-time starter, Burrell had an outstanding junior season last year with 55 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, three interceptions, six pass breakups, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. He is also on the Jim Thorpe Award watch list as the best defensive back in the country.

There are nine other B1G representatives on the list, including: LB Paddy Fisher of Northwestern, DE Chauncey Gholston of Iowa, LB Jake Hansen of Illinois, DE George Karlaftis of Purdue, DT Lorenzo Neal of Purdue, LB Micah Parsons of Penn State, DE Kwity Paye of Michigan, DE Shaka Toney of Penn State and DB Shaun Wade of Ohio State.

The Badgers have never had a Nagurski Award winner, while the B1G last won the award, uh, last year when Chase Young was named the best defensive player in the nation.