DALLAS - Bryce Llewellyn (Eastern Michigan) and Joshua Franklin (Western Michigan) represented the Mid-American Conference on the 2026 Bronko Nagurski Preseason Watch List, as announced by the Football Writes Association of America on Tuesday. The honor is given annually to the top defensive player in all of FBS football.
Players may be added or removed from the watch list during the course of the season. As in previous years, the FWAA will announce a Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week each Tuesday this season. If not already on the watch list, each week’s honored player will be added at that time.
The honor continues a strong tradition for Eastern Michigan's defense. Llewellyn is the first Eagle named to the Bronko Nagurski Trophy Preseason Watch List since defensive back Kevin McGill in 2019. He joins former EMU standouts Maxx Crosby (2018) and Pat O'Connor (2015) as the program's preseason selections over the past decade.
A team captain for the 2026 campaign, Llewellyn enters the season following one of the top defensive performances in the Mid-American Conference in 2025. He earned the John E. Borowiec Award as Eastern Michigan's Most Valuable Defensive Player and became the first Eagle defensive back to receive All-MAC honors since Noski LaFleur earned First Team recognition in 2020. Llewellyn led the Eagles with 103 total tackles, including 42 solo stops and 61 assisted tackles, while adding two interceptions and 5.0 tackles for loss. His 8.5 tackles per game ranked 36th nationally and sixth in the MAC. He posted double-digit tackles in three contests, recording 11 against Louisiana, 12 at Central Michigan, and a career-high 13 versus Ohio. He also registered a career-best eight solo tackles against Miami and finished fourth on the team with 5.0 tackles for loss.
#MACtion on 2026 Preseason Watch Lists
Maxwell Award
Jordan Gant, Akron
Broc Lowry, Western Michigan
Jalen Buckley, Western Michigan
Outland Trophy
Evan Malcore, Miami
Chad Schuster, Western Michigan
Bronko Nagurski
Bryce Llewellyn, Eastern Michigan
Joshua Franklin, Western Michigan
