Central College football linebacker Brody Klein (senior, Rainier, Wash.) was announced Tuesday as a nominee for the 2022 Cliff Harris Award.

The Cliff Harris Award is presented to the nation’s top small college defensive player from an NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III or NAIA school. Klein is one of 72 nominees from Division III and one of 162 nominees overall.

Klein was fifth on the team with 54 tackles, including 25 solo stops. He had 7.0 tackles for loss, four quarterback hurries, 1.5 sacks, one pass break-up and one blocked kick. He returned one of his two interceptions for a touchdown and forced a pair of fumbles. Klein was one of five Central players to be named to the all-conference first team this season.

The Cliff Harris Award was presented last year to Sam Roberts from Northwest Missouri State. Roberts was a sixth-round pick in the NFL Draft and is currently playing for the New England Patriots.

The finalists will be announced next week and the winner of this year’s award will be announced Dec. 30. The recipient will be honored at the Little Rock Touchdown Club’s annual awards banquet in January.