NEWPORT BEACH, CA. – The Pacific Club IMPACT® Foundation announced the 42 candidates for the 2025 Lott IMPACT® Trophy presented by Allied Universal at a luncheon today at The Pacific Club in Newport Beach. 

The Lott IMPACT® Trophy presented by Allied Universal is the only major defensive college football award that considers character. Named after former NFL Hall of Fame star Ronnie Lott, The Lott Trophy annually goes to the Defensive IMPACT Player of the Year, college football’s top defensive player who has had the biggest impact on his team both on and off the field.  

IMPACT stands for Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community and Tenacity, all characteristics exhibited by Lott during his illustrious playing career.

The 42-man Lott IMPACT® Trophy Watch List is composed of 16 defensive linemen, 13 linebackers and 13 defensive backs. There are 16 players from SEC schools, the most of any conference, followed by the Big Ten with 15. There are five players from the ACC and four from the Big 12 with one from the Mountain West and another from Notre Dame.  

Pro Football Hall of Famer Mike Singletary was the keynote speaker at the event. A Super Bowl Champion, 10-time Pro Bowl selection, 2-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year and 1990 NFL Man of the Year, Singletary also was the Head Coach of the San Francisco 49ers from 2008-10. Singletary is also a College Football Hall of Famer after a pair of All-American seasons at Baylor. 

Joshua Perry also spoke at the event, a former Lott Trophy Finalist from Ohio State University. Perry is currently a broadcaster for NBC Sports.  

The annual winner will be announced in December and is selected by a national voter panel, consisting of former winners, members of the media, coaches, and members of the Board of Directors of The IMPACT Foundation.

The Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation also made charitable donations to Project Transition, an initiative led by Marcellus Wiley to provide leadership training to at-risk youth.  

 

2025 Lott Trophy Watch List 

David Bailey Texas Tech Linebacker

Rueben Bain Miami Edge

Caleb Banks Florida Defensive Tackle

Taye Brown Arizona Linebacker

Dontay Corleone Cincinnati Defensive Tackle 

Tacario Davis Washington Cornerback

Caleb Downs Ohio State Safety

Daylen Everette Georgia Cornerback

Keldric Faulk Auburn Edge

Eric Gentry USC Linebacker 

Aaron Graves Iowa Defensive Tackle

AJ Harris Penn State Cornerback

Anthony Hill Texas Linebacker

Gabe Jacas Illinois Linebacker

Mikail Kamara Indiana Linebacker

Jalon Kilgore South Carolina Defensive Back

Deontae Lawson Alabama Linebacker

Kyle Louis Pitt Linebacker

Jermod McCoy Tennessee Cornerback

DJ McKinney Colorado Cornerback

Derrick Moore Michigan Edge

Leonard Moore Notre Dame Cornerback

Eric O’Neill Rutgers Edge

LT Overton Alabama Defensive Tackle

TJ Parker Clemson Edge

Koi Perich Minnesota Safety

Harold Perkins Jr LSU Linebacker

Kamari Ramsey USC Safety

Chandler Rivers Duke Cornerback

Colin Simmons Texas Edge

Anthony Smith Minnesota Defensive Tackle

Xavian Sorey Jr Arkansas Linebacker

Dylan Stewart South Carolina Edge

Sonny Styles Ohio State Linebacker

Michael Taaffe Texas Safety

Dillon Thieneman Oregon Safety

R Mason Thomas Oklahoma Defensive End

Matayo Uiagalelei Oregon Edge

Jayden Virgin-Morgan Boise State Edge

Whit Weeks LSU Linebacker

Peter Woods Clemson Defensive Tackle

Taurean York Texas A&M Linebacker