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