Duke’s Jeremy Cash among 5 finalists for Bronko Nagurski Trophy

Duke defensive back Jeremy Cash and Clemson defensive end Shaq Lawson are among five finalists for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, which will be awarded Dec. 7 by the Charlotte Touchdown Club.

Joining Cash and Lawson for the Nagurski trophy – which goes to the college football’s top defensive college football player – are Temple linebacker Tyler Matakevich, Penn State defensive end Carl Nassib and Alabama linebacker Reggie Ragland.

Auburn coach Gus Malzahn will be the keynote speaker at the banquet at the Westin Hotel in uptown Charlotte. Former Ohio State linebacker Randy Gradishar will receive the Nagurski Legends Award.

Cash, a senior from Miami, leads the ACC with 17.5 tackles-for-loss and his 8.8 tackles per game is tied for third in the league. Lawson, a junior from Central, S.C., is third in the ACC with 7.5 sacks and his 16.5 tackles for loss rank second behind Cash.

Matakevich, a junior from Stratford, Conn, averages 9.6 tackles and has 4.0 sacks. Nassib, a senior from West Chester, Pa., leads the nation with 15.5 sacks. Ragland, a senior from Madison, Ala., has 82 tackles, seventh in the SEC.

This story was originally published November 18, 2015 at 7:01 PM with the headline "Duke’s Jeremy Cash among 5 finalists for Bronko Nagurski Trophy."