The Rotary Club of Houston announced today that Nick Fairley, a junior defensive tackle from Auburn University, is the winner of the 2010 Rotary Lombardi Award, presented annually since 1970 to the nation’s top college football lineman (offense or defense). In addition to outstanding ability and performance, the award recognizes the player who best exemplifies the discipline of the late coach, Vince Lombardi.
Fairley led Auburn, nation’s number one team, with a school-record 21 tackles for loss on the Tiger’s road to the BCS national championship game on January 10 against Oregon. He ranks second in the SEC with 10.5 quarterback sacks and has 55 tackles this season, including 31 solo stops. He recovered two fumbles, forced one fumble, intercepted a pass and recorded 21 quarterback hurries.
The junior from Mobile, AL is expected to declare for the upcoming 2011 NFL Draft.