Alabama's Courtney Upshaw is one of three Alabama Rotary Lombardi Award semifinalists
The Rotary Club of Houston announced the 12 semifinalists for the 42nd annual Rotary Lombardi Award (RLA) awarded to the best college football lineman or linebacker. There are eight defensive players and four offensive players who made this year’s cut. The RLA will be awarded on December 7, 2011 at the Reliant Center in Houston, Texas.
Last year’s winner was Auburn’s Nick Fairley. Though there are no Auburn players on the list this year, the SEC does lead with four players, three of which hail from Alabama. The Pac-12, Big 10, ACC, Conference USA, and Notre Dame are also represented.
Here are the 12 semifinalists:
- Vinny Curry – Defensive End, Marshall, 6-4, 263, Sr., Neptune, NJ
- David DeCastro – Offensive Guard, Stanford, 6-5, 310, Sr., Bellevue, WA
- Dont’a Hightower – Linebacker, Alabama, 6-4, 260, Jr., Lewisburg, TN
- Melvin Ingram – Defensive End, South Carolina, 6-2, 276, Sr., Hamlet, NC
- Barrett Jones – Offensive Line, Alabama, 6-5, 311, Jr., Memphis, TN
- Matt Kalil – Offensive Tackle, USC, 6-7, 295, Jr., Corona, CA
- Luke Kuechly – Linebacker, Boston College, 6-3, 237, Jr., Cincinnati, OH
- Jonathan Martin – Offensive Tackle, Stanford, 6-6, 304, Sr., Los Angeles, CA
- Whitney Mercilus – Defensive Line, Illinois, 6-4, 265, Jr., Akron, OH
- Manti Te’o – Linebacker, Notre Dame, 6-2, 255, Jr., Laie, HI
- Courtney Upshaw – Linebacker, Alabama, 6-2, 265, Sr., Eufaula, AL
- Jerel Worthy – Defensive Tackle, Michigan State, 6-3, 310, Jr., Huber Heights, OH
