AMES, Iowa – Iowa State defensive end Will McDonald IV and offensive lineman Trevor Downing have been named to the 2022 Rotary Lombardi Award watch list. The award goes annually to the college football offensive or defensive lineman, who in addition to outstanding performance and ability, best exemplifies the character and discipline of NFL Hall of Fame Head Coach Vince Lombardi.

Iowa State is one of 10 teams in the country to have both an offensive and defensive player on the list.

McDonald, a redshirt senior from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, enters the season as one of the nation’s best pass rushers with 29.0 career sacks, which is an ISU record. He earned First Team All-America honors last season and is a two-time First Team All-Big 12 selection. McDonald has forced nine fumbles and has 34.5 tackles for a loss in his career.

Downing is a preseason All-Big 12 selection after earning All-Big 12 First-Team honors for his performance on the field last season. The Creston, Iowa native is making the move to center after playing mostly at right guard last season.

Downing has made 26 career starts on the Cyclone offensive line and in 2021 was an anchor in helping the Cyclones record their fourth-best scoring average (31.3) and fifth-best total offensive average (424.5) in school history.

A mid-season watch list will be released Oct. 15 with semifinalists announced Nov. 10 and finalists on Nov. 23. The winner of the Rotary Lombardi Award will be announced Dec. 7.

Iowa State opens the season Saturday, Sept. 3 against Southeast Missouri at MidAmerican Energy Field at Jack Trice Stadium.