Penn State's Jordan Hill and Gerald Hodges have been named to the Lombardi Award Watchlist, which was released Monday by The Rotary Club of Houst. The award is given to college football's best linebacker or linemen.

Hill, a defensive tackle, earned a spot on the list after earning Big 10 Conference honorable mention, while Hodges, a linebacker, is considered the Nittany Lions best player. Hodges earned Preseason All-American honors.

Both players were also listed on the Butkus Award watchlist on Monday. The Butkus Award is given up to the best defensive player in the nation.

The Lombardi Award goes through four rounds of voting, and is given out on Wednesday, Dec. 5. Last season, the award was won by Boston College's Luke Kuechly.

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