The Football Writers Association of America named Illini junior cornerback Vontae Davis to the preseason Watch List for the 2008 Nagurski Trophy, awarded to the nation’s top defensive player.

After finishing the 2007 season sixth in the Big Ten in both interceptions (4) and passes defended (12), Davis garnered first-team All-Big Ten honors in his second season starting at cornerback for Illinois. Only former Illini Kevin Mitchell had more passes defended than Davis in 2007. The cornerback also tallied 76 tackles, which was good enough for fourth on the team behind J Leman, Antonio Steele and Justin Harrison.

If Davis were to win the award, he would add the accolade to an already impressive resume. Davis was named by The Sporting News a first-team freshman All-American as well as freshman All-Big Ten in 2006 and the team’s rookie of the year. In 2007, he was a Jim Thorpe award finalist and named first-team All-Big Ten by the conference’s coaches and second-team All-Big Ten by the media. Rivals.com also named Davis first-team All-Big Ten.

The 2008 award, sponsored by the Charlotte Touchdown Club, will be presented at a banquet on Dec. 7. Last year’s list of finalists for the Nagurski Trophy included LSU’s Glenn Dorsey, who was selected No. 5 overall by the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2008 NFL Draft. The two other finalists from 2007 also heard their names called early in April’s draft. Virginia end Chris Long went No. 2 overall to the St. Louis Rams and Kansas defensive back Aqib Talib was the No. 20 overall selection by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.