DALLAS (FWAA) – Five finalists for the 2002 Bronko Nagurski Trophy, which is awarded to the best defensive player in college football by the Football Writers Association of America and the Charlotte Touchdown Club, were announced on Tuesday.

The five finalists are: Maryland linebacker E.J. Henderson, Kansas State cornerback Terence Newman, Georgia end David Pollack, Arizona State end Terrell Suggs and Notre Dame cornerback Shane Walton.

The winner will be named on Dec. 9 at a banquet in Charlotte, N.C. All the players are first time finalists for the FWAA Defensive Player of the Year Award, which is in its 10th year of existence. Henderson is a repeat FWAA All-American from last season.

The finalists were selected by the FWAA All-America Committee, which is geographically balanced across the country. Walton and Suggs each won FWAA Defensive Player of the Week Awards this past season.

Walton, a 5-11, 185-pound senior, was spectacular in several games. He tied a school record with three interceptions in a Notre Dame victory over Maryland. He had an interception which sealed a victory over Michigan. He was named the Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week for his performance against the Wolverines.

Newman, a 5-11, 185-pound senior, was voted TBS/Superstation Player of the Game in Kansas State's 27-20 victory over Southern California. He is among national leaders in passes defensed with 11 breakups and four interceptions despite teams throwing to the other side of the field to avoid him. He had a career-high eight tackles in the Wildcats' victory over Nebraska.

Suggs, a 6-3, 242-pound junior, has already set an NCAA Division I-A single-season sack record with 20 this season. He has 26.5 total tackles for losses in 2002. In a 27-16 victory over Washington, when Suggs won the FWAA Player of the Week Award, he had 6.5 tackles for losses of 44 yards. He also has forced five fumbles and intercepted a pass this season.

Pollack, a 6-3, 264-pound sophomore, leads the Southeastern Conference and is fourth nationally in quarterback sacks. He is Georgia's most active defensive player in virtually every category and is threatening the Georgia single-season record for sacks. He was CBS Player of the Game with a interception returned for a touchdown in victory at South Carolina.

Henderson, a 6-2, 250-pound senior, has made 118 tackles this season, 13.5 for 51 yards in losses. He has five sacks for minus-31 yards. He has also intercepted a pass, broken up four passes and forced two fumbles. Last season, he was the MVP of the Atlantic Coast Conference.