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For third time, Washington State’s Jahad Woods named to preseason watch list

Washington State linebacker Jahad Woods (13) in the first half during the Cheez-It Bowl NCAA college football game against Air Force, Friday, Dec. 27, 2019, in Phoenix.  (Associated Press)
By Theo Lawson theol@spokesman.com(509) 459-5584

Another day, another watch list for Jahad Woods.

For the third time in two weeks, the Washington State linebacker was included on a preseason watch list making the cut for the Bronko Nagurski Award, which recognizes the National Defensive Player of the Year.

Woods’ other watch list inclusions were the Bednarik Award, another defensive player of the year honor, and the Butkus Award, which is presented to the country’s top linebacker.

The WSU senior is one of 13 players from the Pac-12 Conference named to the watch list, joining Paulson Adebo of Stanford, Jevon Holland, Jordon Scott and Kayvon Thibodeaux of Oregon, Talanoa Hufanga, Jay Tufele and Drake Jackson of USC, Nate Landman of Colorado, Elijah Molden, Levi Onwuzurike and Joe Tryon of Washington and Hamilcar Rashed of Oregon State.

Woods, a San Diego native who attended Helix High School, recorded 141 tackles as a redshirt junior, which tied for the fifth-most in a single season, and added 10 tackles-for-loss, three sacks, three pass breakups, two forced fumble and one interception. 

The Pac-12’s top returning tackler had 10 tackles or more in nine games last season and capped his season off with a career-high 20 tackles in WSU’s loss to Air Force in the Cheez-It Bowl. The 20 tackles were tied for the seventh-most in WSU single-game history.

According to Pro Football Focus, Woods was the Pac-12’s best inside linebacker in pass rush productivity and its fourth-best inside linebacker at run stop percentage.