CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

Lombardi Award

Given every year since 1970 to the best lineman or linebacker (it was open to every position from 2017 to 2020). Ohio State has won it most, six times (five players). Orlando Pace won it twice.

Every winner

SeasonPlayerPositionSchool
2025Jacob RodriguezLBTexas Tech
2024Kelvin Banks Jr.OTTexas
2023Laiatu LatuDEUCLA
2022Will Anderson Jr.LBAlabama
2021Aidan HutchinsonDEMichigan
2020 †Zaven CollinsLBTulsa
2019 †Joe BurrowQBLSU
2018 †Ugo AmadiSOregon
2017 †Bryce LoveRBStanford
2016Jonathan AllenDTAlabama
2015Carl NassibDEPenn State
2014Scooby WrightLBArizona
2013Aaron DonaldDTPittsburgh
2012Manti Te’oLBNotre Dame
2011Luke KuechlyLBBoston College
2010Nick FairleyDTAuburn
2009Ndamukong SuhDTNebraska
2008Brian OrakpoDETexas
2007Glenn DorseyDTLSU
2006LaMarr WoodleyDEMichigan
2005A.J. HawkLBOhio State
2004David PollackDEGeorgia
2003Tommie HarrisDTOklahoma
2002Terrell SuggsDEArizona State
2001Julius PeppersDENorth Carolina
2000Jamal ReynoldsDTFlorida State
1999Corey MooreDEVirginia Tech
1998Dat NguyenLBTexas A&M
1997Grant WistromDENebraska
1996Orlando PaceOTOhio State
1995Orlando PaceOTOhio State
1994Warren SappDTMiami (FL)
1993Aaron TaylorOTNotre Dame
1992Marvin JonesLBFlorida State
1991Steve EmtmanDTWashington
1990Chris ZorichDTNotre Dame
1989Percy SnowLBMichigan State
1988Tracy RockerDTAuburn
1987Chris SpielmanLBOhio State
1986Cornelius BennettLBAlabama
1985Tony CasillasDTOklahoma
1984Tony DegrateDTTexas
1983Dean SteinkuhlerOTNebraska
1982Dave RimingtonCNebraska
1981Kenneth SimsDTTexas
1980Hugh GreenDEPittsburgh
1979Brad BuddeOGUSC
1978Bruce ClarkDTPenn State
1977Ross BrownerDENotre Dame
1976Wilson WhitleyDTHouston
1975Lee Roy SelmonDTOklahoma
1974Randy WhiteDTMaryland
1973John HicksOTOhio State
1972Rich GloverMGNebraska
1971Walt PatulskiDTNotre Dame
1970Jim StillwagonDTOhio State

† The award was open to every position from 2017 to 2020; its committee went back to linemen and linebackers in 2021 and no longer recognizes those four winners.

Photos: Wikimedia Commons, free licenses; credits on each player’s page.