Georgia DT Christen Miller named to prestigious 2025 Outland Trophy watch list

Georgia defensive tackle Christen Miller has been named to the 2025 Outland Trophy Watch List, earning national recognition as one of the top interior linemen in college football. The prestigious list, released by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA), includes just 50 players across the entire FBS landscape and celebrates standout performers on the offensive and defensive lines.

Miller, a rising redshirt junior for the Bulldogs, is one of only 10 defensive tackles selected to the watch list and is the latest Georgia lineman to garner preseason acclaim. His inclusion is a testament to his growth within one of the country’s most talent-rich defensive line rooms. Known for his blend of explosive get-off, leverage, and strength at the point of attack, Miller has steadily carved out a larger role in Georgia’s rotation since arriving in Athens. Head coach Kirby Smart has called Miller “special” and “really good when he’s healthy”.

Now poised to anchor the interior of Georgia’s defensive front in 2025, Miller enters the season as a projected starter and foundational piece for a defense that annually ranks among the nation’s best. Miller has had some injures, but is coming into Fall camp healthy. With former Bulldog standouts like Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis setting the standard at the position in recent years, Miller’s presence on the Outland Trophy Watch List suggests he’s viewed as the next in line to carry on that legacy.

The Outland Trophy, first awarded in 1946, honors the best interior lineman in college football, regardless of position. Only one defensive tackle has won the award in the past 15 years, highlighting the difficulty of standing out on the interior of a defensive line amid stiff competition from offensive tackles and guards.

The 2025 Outland Trophy winner will be announced during The Home Depot College Football Awards on December 12, with the official trophy presentation following on January 21, 2026, in Omaha, Nebraska. This year’s 50-man watch list spans nine FBS conferences and includes players from at least 35 programs.

Miller’s recognition places him firmly on the radar of national awards voters, NFL scouts, and fans as the Bulldogs prepare for another College Football Playoff push. If he builds on the flashes he’s already shown, he could find himself not just in the postseason conversation for the Outland Trophy, but perhaps following in the footsteps of Georgia’s most decorated defensive linemen.