Two Penn State linemen named to Lombardi Award watch list

College football's award watch list season continued to highlight some of Penn State's top players for the 2025 season this week. The Lombardi Award watch list was the latest award to include a paid of Penn State's top linemen on its watch list. One player on each side of the line of scrimmage received a mention on the Lombardi Award's watch list.

Defensive lineman Zane Durant continued to add to his preseason accolades and honorable mentions by being named to the Lombardi Award's watch list. Joining him on the list from Penn State is offensive lineman Olaivavega Ioane. Both players also were named to the watch list for the Outland Trophy, which is awarded to the nation's top interior lineman. Durant was also named to the watch list for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy.

The Lombardi Award is also open to players on either side of the line of scrimmage and recognizes a player's leadership, courage, discipline and performance on the field. The award was first presented in 1970. Ohio State's Jim Stillwagon was the inaugural recipient of the Lombardi Award.

Penn State's first Lombardi Award winner was Bruce Clark, in 1978. In 2015, Carl Nassib became the second and most recent Penn State player to bring home the award.

Kelvin Banks Jr. of Texas was the Lombardi Award winner of the 2024 season. Aidan Hutchinson of Michigan was the most recent winner from the Big Ten, although Laiatu Latu of UCLA is the most recent winner from a school currently in the Big Ten (UCLA was in the Pac-12 when Laiatu won the award in 2023).

This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: Penn State duo named on Lombardi Award watch list