Red Raiders Star Jacob Rodriguez Earns Bronko Nagurski Award

The defensive excellence of Jacob Rodriguez has officially been recognized as unmatched in the nation. In an achievement for Texas Tech football, the star senior linebacker has been named the winner of the Bronko Nagurski Trophy. He was honored as the nation’s most outstanding defensive player.

Night of Celebration Dedicated to Texas Tech's Jacob Rodriguez

This milestone marks the first time in program history that a Texas Tech player has claimed the prestigious award, which has existed since 1993. The moment is equally rare for the conference. Rodriguez is the first Big 12 player to win the Nagurski Trophy since Ndamukong Suh in 2009.

The best defensive player in all of college football 🏆

J-Rod has won the 2025 Bronko Nagurski Trophy! pic.twitter.com/rpOSrxqHJA
— Texas Tech Football (@TexasTechFB) December 9, 2025

Rodriguez’s night of celebration was the culmination of a week-long awards haul. The Nagurski recognition came just three days after he earned another accolade under his name. On Dec. 5, he became the first Texas Tech player to win the Butkus Award, recognizing the nation’s top linebacker. Adding to his growing list of accolades, he had already been named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year the previous week.

While those trophies are now secured, Rodriguez remains in contention for multiple other major national honors. That includes the Chuck Bednarik Award and the Walter Camp Player of the Year. Furthermore, he and Texas Tech edge defender David Bailey are slated to attend the Lombardi Award announcement on Wednesday, Dec. 10, in Houston. This honor is for the nation's top linemen and linebackers.

The announcement for the Nagurski Trophy took place Monday night at a formal banquet in Charlotte, N.C. Rodriguez accepted the award wearing his trademark accessory, the black cowboy hat he has sported throughout this historic season.

He stood alongside the other distinguished finalists, including Caleb Downs (Ohio State), Cashius Howell (Texas A&M), and Leonard Moore (Notre Dame). There, he even took a moment to express his gratitude. In his speech, he thanked Jesus Christ, his wife Emma, his parents, and the Charlotte Touchdown Club.

The honors are richly deserved, reflecting a season of unparalleled on-field production. Through 13 games, Rodriguez has been an absolute force, credited with 117 tackles and 11 tackles for loss. Most impressively, he led the entire FBS with seven forced fumbles. He rounded out his defensive dominance with six pass breakups, four interceptions, and two fumble recoveries.

Jacob Rodriguez lifts the trophy after Texas Tech defeated BYU in the Big 12 Conference championship game, Saturday, Nov. 6, 2025, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. | Nathan Giese/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Heisman Hype and Playoff Path

Rodriguez’s dominance was central to the Red Raiders earning their first Big 12 championship. It was highlighted by his 13 tackles in the 34-7 win over BYU. Before the championship weekend, his profile was so high that oddsmakers placed him as the consensus No. 6 favorite for the Heisman Trophy.

He missed the cut for the final four Heisman selections announced on Monday, but his performance earned strong public backing from former Heisman winners and prominent analysts like Robert Griffin III and Matt Leinart.

With their 12-1 record, Texas Tech has been named the No. 4 seed in the College Football Playoff and will play in the Orange Bowl on New Year’s Day. They are set to take on the winner of the contest between No. 5 Oregon and No. 12 James Madison.

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