DALLAS -- San Diego State linebacker Caden McDonald, defensive end Cameron Thomas and offensive tackle Zachary Thomas were each named to preseason watch lists recognized by the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA) on Tuesday. McDonald and Cameron Thomas both landed on the Bronko Nagurski Award Watch List, which goes out to the most outstanding defensive player, while Zachary Thomas is on the Outland Trophy Award Watch List for the most outstanding interior lineman.
McDonald is coming off a breakout season in 2020 where he totaled 34 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss for 48 yards, 4.5 sacks for 33 yards, 10 quarterback hurries, three pass breakups and a forced fumble, starting all eight of the team's games. For his efforts, he was named a first-team all-MW selection. His best game came against UNLV on Oct. 24 when he posted career highs of eight tackles, three tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks and three quarterback hurries en route to being named the MW Defensive Player of the Week. His 2.5 sacks matched the most by a SDSU player since Jay Henderson's three sacks vs. Northern Illinois on Sept. 30, 2017.
McDonald also joined Cameron Thomas on the Bednarik Award Watch List for the college defensive player of the year, and has been named a preseason all-MW first-team pick by the MW media and Athlon Sports, a second-team selection by Phil Steele Magazine and a fourth-team pick by Pro Football Focus as an edge defender. He was also deemed SDSU's best defensive player by College Football News.
Cameron Thomas, meanwhile, had another great year in 2020, moving over from defensive tackle to defensive end midway through the season, totaling 35 tackles (21 solo) in eight starts, including 9.5 tackles for 48 yards of loss, four sacks for 34 yards and 14 quarterback hurries. Cameron Thomas, who was named a first-team all-MW pick and the team's Defensive Lineman of the Year for a second straight season in 2020, also ranked second in FBS in 2020 in quarterback pressures (37) among DI (defensive interiors) in just eight games according to Pro Football Focus, only two short of Alabama's Christian Barmore's 39 accomplished in 12 games. He recorded 27 of his 35 tackles over the final three games, including a career-high 14 tackles (11 solo), a 12-yard sack, a career-best three tackles for loss at Colorado en route to being named to the Pro Football Focus National Team of the Week.
Cameron Thomas has also been named to the Bednarik Award Watch List for the college defensive player of the year, and is a preseason first-team selection by the MW media, Phil Steele Magazine, Athlon Sports and Pro Football Focus (interior defensive lineman). Additionally, he's listed as SDSU's second-best defensive player by College Football News.
Zachary Thomas is the projected left tackle for SDSU in 2021 after garnering second-team all-MW honors last year while playing right tackle. Zachary Thomas started all eight games in 2020 and was a member of a team that was named to the Joe Moore Midseason Honor Roll for the best offensive line (one of only two Mountain West teams (also Air Force)). Thomas allowed just two sacks in 220 passing plays (0.91 pct.) and four pressures (1.82 pct.), while not recording a penalty in 560 offensive snaps.
Zachary Thomas has also been named to the preseason all-MW first team by the MW media, Phil Steele Magazine, Athlon Sports and Pro Football Focus, and is labeled as "SDSU's best offensive player" by College Football News.
The Aztecs finished 4-4 last year with their four losses coming to teams that went a combined 29-6 (.829).
San Diego State will play seven of its 12 games in 2021 at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif., and will have only one road contest over the first six weeks of the season. The 2021 home slate features high-profile games against Utah, Boise State, Fresno State and Nevada. Five of the six FBS opponents that the Aztecs will play host to this season finished the 2020 campaign with a .500 or better record. SDSU opens 2021 at Dignity Health Sports Park on Saturday, Sept. 4 against New Mexico State.
San Diego State football single-game tickets, season tickets and three-game mini plans are all on sale. For more information, click visit GoAztecs.com/tickets. For questions, please contact the Aztec Athletic Ticket Office, either by email at aztix@sdsu.edu, or by phone at 619-283-7378.
Three Aztec Football Players Make National Watch Lists
