The Football Writers Association of America named Florida MLB David Reese II the Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week on Tuesday.

In Week 3 against Kentucky, Reese logged a career-high 16 tackles – 13 of them solo – to help the Gators (3-0) to a come-from-behind 29-21 win at Kentucky. The 16 tackles topped Reese’s previous high of 14 set twice, most recently last season against Missouri. Florida’s leader in total tackles (23) is tied for seventh in the SEC with a 7.7 average per game. Of his 173.5 total tackles in his career, more than half (96) have been unassisted. The last UF player to have 16 tackles in a game was LB Antonio Morrison on Oct. 3, 2015, against Ole Miss.

Reese’s big night was highlighted by a key fourth-down stop that started Florida’s rally. The senior from Farmington, Michigan stopped Kentucky’s Asim Rose on fourth-and-one at the Gators’ 38-yard line on the first play of the fourth quarter with Kentucky leading 21-10. Florida scored on its ensuing possession, the first of three touchdowns in a 19-point rally in the final quarter of play.

For being named the Bronko Nagurski Defensive Player of the Week, Reese will be added to the Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List for the award which goes to the best defender in college football. The FWAA and the Charlotte Touchdown Club will announce five finalists for the 2019 Bronko Nagurski Trophy on Wed., Nov. 20. The winner will be chosen from those five finalists who are part of the 2019 FWAA All-America Team.

The annual Bronko Nagurski Trophy Banquet will be held on Mon., Dec. 9 in Charlotte.

2019 Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Players of the Week

• Weekend of Aug. 31: Alijah Halliburton, Wyoming

• Weekend of Sept. 7: Evan Weaver, Cal

• Weekend of Sept. 14: David Reese II, Florida