March 3, 2009
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern defensive end Corey Wootton (Rutherford, N.J./Don Bosco Prep), a first-team All-Big Ten selection in 2008, is one of 47 players named to the 2009 Lombardi Award preseason watch list.
Eligibility for the Rotary Lombardi Award is limited to down linemen, end-to-end, either on offense or defense, who set up no farther than 10 yards to the left or right of the ball, or linebackers who set up no farther than five yards deep from the line of scrimmage. The candidates earned a place on the preliminary watch list by earning All-American honors or by being named to their respective all-conference first team as selected by the conference's head coaches.
Wootton, who will sit out the 2009 spring drills while recovering from January knee surgery, was named the Wildcats' team MVP in 2008 after leading one of the nation's most improved defensive units. Wootton helped Northwestern rank among the nation's leaders in sacks by recording 10 of the team's 34 sacks (18th most nationally). He closed his junior campaign with 42 tackles, 16 TFL's (10 sacks) and an interception.
For the second career time in 2008, Wootton recorded a statistic in every major defensive category (tackles, TFL's, sacks, pass deflections, interceptions, forced fumbles, fumble recoveries, QB hurries and blocked kicks).
Texas' Brian Orakpo, a defensive end, won the 2008 Lombardi Award.