5/20/2019 football Edit

Lott Impact Watch List Includes Gross-Matos

Nate Bauer • Happy Valley Insider

Senior Editor

Is in his 17th year covering Penn State football and men's basketball for Blue White Illustrated.

The junior campaign for Penn State first-team All-Big Ten defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos is still more than three months away, but the preseason honors began Monday.

Announced via press release, the Lott IMPACT Trophy has added Gross-Matos and 41 other candidates to its preseason watch list. The award "honors the top defensive player in college football who makes the biggest impact for his team, both on and off the field."

Last season, Gross-Matos racked up 20 tackles for a loss on top of his eight sacks and 54 total tackles.

In the process, he finished tied for seventh in the Big Ten for sacks and finished second in tackles for loss. Gross-Matos was then named the team’s Reid-Robinson award as its outstanding defensive lineman.

Gross-Matos will try to follow former Nittany Lion Carl Nassib, who picked up the honor for his 2015 performance.