Chris Smith named finalist for Bronko Nagurski Trophy
Georgia safety Chris Smith was announced as one of four finalists for the 2022 Bronko Nagurski Trophy on Wednesday, an honor that goes annually to the top defender in all of College Football. Smith is joined by fellow finalists Alabama linebacker Will Anderson, Pittsburgh defensive tackle Calijah Kancey and USC defensive end Tuli Tuipulotu.
Anderson won the award last year giving him a chance to become only the second player ever to repeat, however, Smith and company certainly are qualified too. In 10 games, Smith has 37 tackles including 26 solo stops with 4.0 tackles for loss and a sack. His two interceptions is tied for the team-high, and recently he had a career-high number of tackles in Georiga’s win over arch-rival Florida with seven stops.
Smith is also a semifinalist for the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award and the Chuck Bednarik Award as one of the nation’s best defensive backs. He has twice been named SEC Defensive Player of the Week for his helping in hold down a Georgia defense that ranks second nationally in points per game (11.6) and has given up conversions on third down only 27 percent of the time, third-best in the country.
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“He was a really good prospect in high school. He played corner, he played safety. He could do it all. He came here. We flirted with him at corner and safety. He kind of played wherever we needed him to play. And he’s done that ever since coming here. He’s taken reps for two to three years at corner, he’s taken the safety, he’s played nickel star. I mean, he’s one of these versatile DBs that can kind of do it all because he understands leverages. He knows where his help is. He’s an instinctive football player,” Georgia head coach Kirby Smart said on Chris Smith earlier this season. “We’re lucky to have him and really proud of the way he’s — you know, he didn’t have success right away. He’s one of the guys that truly became a better football player through development, practice habits, learning the system. And he had some good players in front of him when he first got here. And he’s been able to work his way into a good football player.”
Cornerback Champ Bailey is only Georgia player to win the award back in 1998, but the Bulldogs have been well represented in terms of finalists recently. Smith is the fourth finalist in the last six seasons joining Jordan Davis (2021), J.R. Reed (2019) and Roquan Smith (2017). Georgia has had eight finalists overall. This year’s winner will be recognized at an event in Charlotte, N.C. on December 5th.
Awards Season Rundown
- Stetson Bennett – Davey O’Brien Award semifinalist
- Stetson Bennett – Burlsworth Trophy finalist
- Stetson Bennett – Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award finalist
- Brock Bowers – Maxwell Award semifinalist
- Brock Bowers – John Mackey Award semifinalist
- Brock Bowers – Rotary Lombardi Award semifinalist
- Jalen Carter – Rotary Lombardi Award semifinalist
- Jalen Carter – Lott IMPACT Trophy semifinalist
- Jamon Dumas-Johnson – Butkus Award semifinalist
- Kearis Jackson – Wuerffel Torphy semifinalist
- Jack Podlesny – Lou Groza Award semifinalist
- Christopher Smith – Paycom Jim Thorpe Award semifinalist
- Christopher Smith – Bednarik Award semifinalist
- Darnell Washington – John Mackey Award semifinalist
- Georgia Offensive Line – Joe Moore Award semifinalist
- Todd Monken – Broyles Award nominee
