New Mexico’s Eck and Booker land preseason watch spots for top defensive awards

New Mexico opened its preseason spotlight with two defensive players receiving national award attention. The Football Writers Association of America announced that linebacker Jaxton Eck was named to the preseason watch list for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, given annually to the national collegiate defensive player of the year.

Eck’s placement on a trophy watch list matters because the Nagurski is one of college football’s best-known defensive honors, typically associated with players who combine impact plays with consistent production. For the Lobos, it also indicates that the program’s defensive core has at least two pieces national award voters will track throughout the season.

The other New Mexico representative was defensive lineman Brian Booker, who was named to the preseason watch list for the Outland Trophy. The Outland is awarded annually to the top interior lineman in college football, an award category that often emphasizes disruption at the point of attack, whether through pass rushing or run-stopping.

Both announcements were released Tuesday as part of the preseason process, which generally precedes training camp and the start of the regular season. Watch lists do not guarantee finalists, but they can influence early recognition, media attention, and voter familiarity once the season’s game film and statistical resumes begin to accumulate.

New Mexico’s inclusion with two different positions also reflects a broader emphasis on defensive identity. Eck represents a linebacker role that often includes both coverage responsibilities and quarterback-focused instincts, while Booker’s recognition points to the interior defensive line, where tackling, leverage, and pressure can reshape protection and running lanes.

It is worth noting that preseason watch lists are projections, not results. Players can still miss the final picture due to scheme fit, health, and in-season performance, and award voting typically incorporates later-season context, including strength of schedule and head-to-head matchups.

The next question for New Mexico will be whether Eck and Booker can turn preseason attention into sustained, measurable impact. For voters and for fans, the season will reveal how often Eck is credited with game-altering plays and whether Booker’s interior presence translates into the kind of disruption that tends to separate Outland finalists from the rest of the defensive line pool.