Ekwonu, Gibson Named to Outland Trophy Watch List
7/27/2021 10:00:00 AM | Football
RALEIGH, N.C. - Fifth-year center Grant Gibson and third-year offensive tackle Ikem Ekwonu have both been named to the preseason watch list for the Outland Trophy, the Football Writers Association of America announced today. The Outland Trophy, which will be awarded for the 75th time in 2021, honors the top interior lineman in college football.
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Gibson, who last week was named to the watch list for the Rimington Trophy, returns for his third season as the Wolfpack's starting center this season. A team captain last season, he was recently named  the third-best returning interior offensive lineman in the country by ESPN and is a second-team preseason All-American according to Sporting News and PFF.
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Gibson allowed just four pressures on 443 pass block snaps in 2020. The only center in the ACC with a better mark played half as many snaps and was ranked as the ninth-best center nationally by Pro Football Focus following the 2020 season.
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Ekwonu, tabbed "the most feared lineman in the ACC" by The Athletic,  was rated as the second-best offensive lineman in the country according to PFF. He has been named a third-team preseason All-American according to Athlon, which also gave him a first-team All-ACC nod for the preseason. He has been named one of the top 10 returning offensive tackles in the country by ESPN after leading the team in pancake blocks each of the past two seasons.
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The recipient of the 2021 Outland Trophy will be announced on The Home Depot College Football Awards, live on ESPN in December. The official presentation to the winner will be made at the Outland Trophy Awards Dinner sponsored by Werner Enterprises and produced by the Greater Omaha Sports Committee in Omaha, Neb., on Jan. 12, 2022.
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Gibson, who last week was named to the watch list for the Rimington Trophy, returns for his third season as the Wolfpack's starting center this season. A team captain last season, he was recently named  the third-best returning interior offensive lineman in the country by ESPN and is a second-team preseason All-American according to Sporting News and PFF.
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Gibson allowed just four pressures on 443 pass block snaps in 2020. The only center in the ACC with a better mark played half as many snaps and was ranked as the ninth-best center nationally by Pro Football Focus following the 2020 season.
Â
Ekwonu, tabbed "the most feared lineman in the ACC" by The Athletic,  was rated as the second-best offensive lineman in the country according to PFF. He has been named a third-team preseason All-American according to Athlon, which also gave him a first-team All-ACC nod for the preseason. He has been named one of the top 10 returning offensive tackles in the country by ESPN after leading the team in pancake blocks each of the past two seasons.
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The recipient of the 2021 Outland Trophy will be announced on The Home Depot College Football Awards, live on ESPN in December. The official presentation to the winner will be made at the Outland Trophy Awards Dinner sponsored by Werner Enterprises and produced by the Greater Omaha Sports Committee in Omaha, Neb., on Jan. 12, 2022.
Players Mentioned
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