The Big 12 had a combined 18 honorees on the Bronko Nagurski and Outland Trophy preseason watch lists. West Virginia DT brothers Dante and Darius Stills were named to both.
 
The Bronko Nagurski Trophy presented by LendingTree is awarded to the National Defensive Player of the Year. Players may be added or removed from the watch list during the course of the season. As in previous years, the FWAA will announce a National Defensive Player of the Week each Tuesday this season. If not already on the watch list, each week's honored player will be added at that time. The FWAA and the Charlotte Touchdown Club will announce five finalists for the 2020 Bronko Nagurski Trophy with the recipient chosen from that pool. The FWAA All-America Committee, after voting input from the association's full membership, selects a 26-man All-America Team and eventually the Nagurski Trophy finalists.
 
This season marks the 75^th anniversary for the Outland Trophy, which honors the outstanding interior lineman from either side of the ball. The recipient of the 75th Outland Trophy will be announced in early December. The official presentation to the winner will be made in Omaha, Nebraska, at the Outland Trophy Awards Dinner sponsored by Werner Enterprises and produced by the Greater Omaha Sports Committee, scheduled for Jan. 13, 2021.
 
Five Big 12 players have previously won the Nagurski Award while three were honored with the Outland Trophy.
 
Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List
LB Terrel Bernard, Baylor
DE JaQuan Bailey, Iowa State
DB Greg Eisworth, Iowa State
DE Wyatt Hubert, Kansas State
DE Ronnie Perkins, Oklahoma
DB Kolby Harvell-Peel, Oklahoma State
DB Trevon Moehrig, TCU
LB Garret Wallow, TCU
LB Joseph Ossai, Texas
DB Caden Sterns, Texas
DT Dante Stills, West Virginia
DT Darius Stills, West Virginia
 
Outland Trophy Watch List
OT Adrian Ealy, Oklahoma
C Creed Humphrey, Oklahoma
OT Samuel Cosmi, Texas
G Jack Anderson, Texas Tech
DT Dante Stills, West Virginia
DT Darius Stills, West Virginia