Big 12 offenses already know the name. Now the rest of the country is catching on.
Kansas State linebacker Austin Romaine was named to the 2025 Bronko Nagurski Trophy watch list Tuesday, spotlighting one of the nation’s top defensive playmakers.
The award, presented by the Football Writers Association of America, honors the nation’s top defensive player.
Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List
— K-State Football (@KStateFB) July 29, 2025
⚒️ @AustinRomaine2 https://t.co/1W86It3Gny pic.twitter.com/3dPdIyba8D
Romaine led the Wildcats with 96 tackles last season, adding 7.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, three forced fumbles and two pass breakups. He tied for fifth in the Big 12 in forced fumbles and ranked ninth in total tackles.
The Missouri native earned Second Team All-Big 12 honors from the Associated Press for the second straight year.
Romaine becomes the latest Wildcat to land on the Nagurski watch list, joining a group that includes Brandon Archer (2006), Ian Campbell (2007–08), Arthur Brown (2011–12), Ty Zimmerman (2013), Wyatt Hubert (2019–20), Felix Anudike-Uzomah (2022) and Kobe Savage (2023).
Three former K-State defenders — Chris Canty (1995–96), Jeff Kelly (1998 runner-up), and Terence Newman (2002) — were Nagurski finalists.
Romaine enters the 2025 season as the highest-graded returning linebacker in the Big 12 and No. 4 nationally, according to Pro Football Focus. Head coach Chris Klieman said Romaine has “All-American potential.”
He’ll lead a deep and experienced linebacker group featuring returning starter Desmond Purnell, Ohio State transfer Gabe Powers, veteran Rex Van Wyhe, and highly touted underclassmen Asa Newsome and Darien Whitaker Jr. Beau Palmer also returns for his super senior year.
Kansas State opens the season ranked No. 12 in USA Today’s preseason Top 25. The Wildcats also sit at No. 16 in Joel Klatt’s post-spring rankings and No. 21 in ESPN’s Football Power Index — tops in the Big 12.
The spotlight gets brighter in Week 1 when “Farmageddon” goes global: K-State travels to face rival Iowa State in a high-stakes Big 12 showdown.
With a loaded roster, national expectations, and a proven leader in Romaine, Kansas State is built to make serious noise in 2025.