D’Angelo Ponds Named National Defensive Player Of The Week

Indiana cornerback D'Angelo Ponds has been named the Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week, it was announced on Tuesday by the Football Writers Association of America.

Earlier this week, Ponds was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week after he hauled in a pair of interceptions, including his first career pick six, in Indiana's weekend win over Washington 31-17.

It was the first time an Indiana player had two interceptions in the same game since Jamar Johnson did it in 2020 against Ohio State.

Ponds also had five tackles and a half tackle for loss against the Huskies.

The FWAA All-America Committee, after voting input from the association’s full membership, selects a 26-man All-America Team and eventually the Bronko Nagurski Trophy finalists. The Bronko Nagurski Trophy winner will be chosen from the finalists named in November. Committee members, by individual ballot, select the winner they regard as the best defensive player in college football.

The FWAA has chosen a National Defensive Player of the Year since 1993. In 1995, the FWAA named the award in honor of the legendary two-way player from the University of Minnesota. Nagurski dominated college football, then became a star for professional football’s Chicago Bears in the 1930s. Bronislaw "Bronko" Nagurski is a charter member of both the College Football and Pro Football Halls of Fame.

The Bronko Nagurski Trophy is a member of the National College Football Awards Association. Founded in 1997, the NCFAA includes college football’s most prestigious awards, and its 24 awards have honored more than 900 recipients dating back to 1935. This season, 13 NCFAA awards will honor national players of the week each Tuesday. For more information about the NCFAA and its award programs, visit NCFAA.org or follow on X at @NCFAA.