7/26/2022 football Edit

Miami Hurricanes Zion Nelson and Leonard Taylor Named To Award Watch Lists

Photo Credit: Associated Press — Zion Nelson, Offensive Lineman, Miami

Marcus Benjamin • CanesCounty

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Marcus Benjamin is a South Florida native with over ten years of experience working in sports journalism.

In recruiting, Miami has made it a point of emphasis to improve the quality of both the offensive and defensive lines. The Hurricanes have a solid foundation on both sides of the ball to build upon with Zion Nelson and Leonard Taylor in the fold. The two members of the Miami Hurricanes football team were named to the Outland and Nurguski watch lists Tuesday morning by the Football Writers Association of America.

Both Nelson and Taylor were named to the Outland Trophy list.

Offensive lineman Nelson and defensive lineman Taylor were among the 89 selections for the Outland Trophy lists. Miami was the third school in the ACC with two selections (Clemson, Pittsburgh). Miami is one of just 17 schools in the country with multiple selections on both sides of the football.

Awarded annually to the best interior lineman in the country since 1946, the Outland Trophy is named after College Football Hall of Fame member John H. Outland.

Taylor was also named a candidate for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, honoring college football’s National Defensive Player of the Year.

A fourth-year junior from Sumter, S.C., Nelson has played in every game since getting to Miami in 2019. An All-ACC Honorable Mention last season, the 6-foot-5, 316-pounder has started in 32 games, including the entire 2020 and 2021 seasons.

Taylor, the true sophomore out of Miami Palmetto High School, played in nine games during his 2022 freshman season. The five-star, prospect totaled 21 tackles in his rookie season, including a high mark of six at Florida State.

A 6-foot-3, 305-pounder, Taylor co-led the Hurricanes with 7.5 tackles for loss last year, including a season-best 2.5 in the victory over Georgia Tech. Taylor also recorded two sacks and one pass-breakup in his first season with the Canes.

Warren Sapp (1994) and Dan Morgan (2000) are the only two Nagurski Trophy winners for the program. Two former Canes won the Outland Trophy, as Russell Maryland did so in 1990 and Bryant McKinnie earned the award in 2001.