(UW Athletics release)
LARAMIE, Wyo. – Wyoming senior safety Andrew Wingard has earned another preseason honor by being named to the 2018 NFLDraftScout.com Preseason All-America team. Wingard was named to the Second Team by NFLDraftScout.com. He was one of only four Group of Five players in the country named to the first or second team, joining Houston defensive tackle Ed Oliver (First Team), Toledo punt returner Diante Johnson (Second Team) and Memphis kick returner Tony Pollard (Second Team).
Wingard was a First Team All-Mountain West selection in 2016 and ‘17. Last season, he was also selected to the 2017 Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Preseason Watch List, the Bronko Nagurski Award Watch List and the Chuck Bednarik Award Watch List as announced by the Maxwell Football Club.
The Thorpe Award is presented annually to the best defensive back in college football. It was the second consecutive season that Wingard was named to the Thorpe Award list. He was one of 16 semifinalists for the award as a sophomore in 2016.
The Nagurski Award is presented each year by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) to the National Defensive Player of the Year.
The Chuck Bednarik Award is selected annually by the Maxwell Football Club to the College Defensive Player of the Year.
Wingard concluded his junior season of 2017 ranked No. 4 among all active Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) players in total career tackles, averaging 9.41 tackles per game, and he ranks No. 2 in among all active FBS players in career solo tackles per game (5.85 per game).
