Ohio State Buckeyes

Bosa joins elite Buckeye company with award nomination

Published Nov. 18, 2015 1:31 p.m. ET

foxsports

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State junior defensive end Joey Bosa was today named one of four finalists for the 46th Lombardi Award. This is the second consecutive year that Bosa has been named a finalist, and he joins a select group of four previous Buckeyes who have been named a finalist twice: linebacker Chris Spielman (1986-87), offensive tackle Orlando Pace (1995-96), linebacker Andy Katzenmoyer (1997-98) and linebacker James Laurinaitis (2007-08).

Bosa, who has more career tackles for loss than any current collegian (49.5) and the second-most quarterback sacks (25), is vying to win the Lombardi Award on the 10th anniversary of Ohio State's last winner: A.J. Hawk in 2005.

The three other finalists for the 2015 Rotary Lombardi Award are also defensive ends: Texas A&M's Myles Garrett; Clemson's Shaq Lawson and Penn State's Carl Nassib. The 2015 honoree will be announced at the Rotary Lombardi Award presentation on December 9, 2015, at the Revention Music Center in downtown Houston, Texas. This year's Rotary Lombardi Award ceremony will be broadcast by FOX Sports Southwest.

Bosa, from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., has been dominant and disruptive this year as the leader of an Ohio State defense that ranks second nationally in scoring defense, ninth nationally in total defense and with Top 10 rankings in both passing yards allowed and passing efficiency. Bosa has 40 tackles, including 15.0 tackles for losses totaling 54 yards plus 4.0 sacks. He also has 11 quarterback hurries and four pass breakups.

A communications major, Bosa is also a semifinalist for the Bednarik Award and he is on the midseason watch list for the Ted Hendricks Award. He was a unanimous All-American in 2014 when he was named the Big Ten's defensive player of the year and its defensive lineman of the year.

Bosa's finalist honor represents the 16th time that Ohio State has had a Lombardi Award finalist. Ohio State has produced a Lombardi Award winner six times.

Ohio State Lombardi Award Winners

Ohio State Lombardi Award Finalists

(Ohio State Buckeyes press release)