Alabama Football’s Leatherwood and Wills Named to Outland Trophy Watch List

Alabama football’s Alex Leatherwood and Jedrick Wills Jr. have been named to the 2019 Outland Trophy Watch List announced today by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA).

The two are among 83 candidates from around the country named to the preseason list. Five Crimson Tide players have won the award previously, including Chris Samuels (1999), Andre Smith (2008), Barrett Jones (2011), Cam Robinson (2016) and most recently Quinnen Williams in 2018.

Leatherwood made the move to right guard last season after beginning his Crimson Tide career as a tackle. The move inside earned him All-SEC second team recognition in 2018 and his work helped the Alabama offensive line rank eighth nationally and first in the SEC in fewest sacks allowed at 1.0 per game on the way to being named a finalist for the Joe Moore Award, presented annually to college football’s top offensive line unit. Leatherwood appeared in seven games as a freshman with his breakout moment coming in the College Football Playoff National Championship against Georgia. In that title game, he replaced an injured Jonah Williams early in the third quarter and played 44 snaps by night’s end, helping the Crimson Tide to its NCAA-record 17^th national championship.

Wills anchored the right side of the line a season ago, starting all 15 games at right tackle for the Crimson Tide. The Lexington, Ky., native led all Alabama linemen with 50 knockdown blocks while allowing just one sack and one hit on the quarterback. His efforts helped the Alabama offensive line rank eighth nationally and first in the SEC in fewest sacks allowed at 1.0 per game on the way to being named a finalist for the Joe Moore Award, presented annually to college football’s top offensive line unit.

The Outland Trophy has been presented annually since 1946 by the Football Writers Association of America to recognize the top interior lineman in college football. The award is named in honor of All-America offensive lineman John Outland of Penn. The 2019 winner will be announced at the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show in December.

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