Luther Maddy Is On More Preseason Award Watch Lists

Sep 21, 2013; Blacksburg, VA, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies defensive tackle Luther Maddy (92) reacts after sacking Marshall Thundering Herd quarterback Rakeem Cato (12) during the second half at Lane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports

Luther Maddy has had a very good career in Blacksburg and Virginia Tech fans were very happy when he decided to not declare for the 2014 NFL Draft and return for his senior season. Luther Maddy will enter this upcoming fall with a lot of high expectations and as someone who is almost certain to be a Preseason First Team All-ACC at defensive tackle. Luther Maddy was recently named to the Bednarik Award Watch List and now that number has increased from one to three.

The news that broke was that Luther Maddy was named to the watch list for the Nagurski Trophy which goess to the best defensive player in college football. For Maddy, he has to be impresed that he was able to make the Nagurski Trophy and Bednarik Award watch lists, proving that he is one of the most respected defensive tackles in college football. Maddy would also like to join Corey Moore at the end of the season as the second Hokie to win the Nagurski Trophy.

However, the Nagurski Trophy would not be the only watch list Maddy would be named to as the Hokies’ star defensive tackle was also named to the Outland Trophy Watch List. This is another big honor for Maddy as this means that he is seen as one of the top offensive or interior defensive linemen in all of college football. Maddy has made a big impact and being named to these watch lists just shows the respect for him from the media and coaches.

Luther Maddy 55 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, and 6.5 sacks last season which are very good numbers on a tough, experience defensive lineman. Maddy is now the leader of the Virginia Tech defensive line and will definitely be the main person that opposing defensive coordinators focus on when they try to build a running strategy to face the Hokies.

Luther Maddy has a lot of potential and could be a guy who ends up with around 70 yackles, 20 tackles for loss, and 9 sacks this fall which would be quite impressive. Even if Maddy only slightly improves, the Hokies should still get some very good production out of him. Maddy has the potential to have a huge season this fall and potentially be a first or second round pick in the 2015 NFL Draft with him being named to these lists being just the latest honors for a very good defensive tackle.