A year after Evan Weaver was a finalist for the Lott IMPACT Trophy, Cal has another player on the watchlist for the award. Senior inside linebacker Kuony Deng is one of 42 student-athletes on the shortlist for the award, named after former San Francisco 49er and Oakland Raider Ronnie Lott.

(IMPACT stands for Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community and Tenacity)

As a junior college transfer from Independence Community College in Kansas, Deng came in as an immediate starter for the Bears in 2019, taking over the inside linebacker spot vacated by Jordan Kunaszyk and playing next to Weaver. Deng and Weaver combined for 301 tackles (a school record for a duo in one season), with Deng finishing third in the conference with 119 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 8 pass breakups and a fumble recovery. Deng, per Pro Football Focus, tied for fourth on the team with 20 QB pressures (tied with Luc Bequette).

In 2020, Deng is one of seven returning starters for the Cal defense, having bulked up to 245 lbs in the offseason, and the Aldie, Virginia native is expected to be one of the leaders of Cal's defense in the year upcoming. He's the fourth consecutive inside linebacker from Cal to be on the Lott IMPACT Trophy watchlist.

A Cal player has won the award before with Dante (then Daymeion) Hughes winning the trophy in 2006.