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Bednarik Award

Bednarik Award

The Chuck Bednarik Award is presented annually to the defensive player of the year in college football as judged by the Maxwell Football Club to be the best in the United States. The award is named for Chuck Bednarik, a former college and professional American football player.

Voters for the Maxwell College Awards are NCAA head college football coaches, members of the Maxwell Football Club, and sportswriters and sportscasters from across the country.

2025 Semifinalists

CJ Allen, Georgia, LB
Xavier Atkins, Auburn, LB
David Bailey, Texas Tech, EDGE
Rueben Bain Jr., Miami, EDGE
John Henry Daley, Utah, EDGE
Mansoor Delane, LSU, LB
Caleb Downs, Ohio State, S
Aiden Fisher, Indiana, LB
Anthony Hill Jr., Texas, LB
Cashius Howell, Texas A&M, EDGE
Leonard Moore, Notre Dame, CB
Arvell Reese, Ohio State, LB
Quincy Rhodes Jr., Arkansas, EDGE
Landon Robinson, Navy, NG
Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech, LB
R Mason Thomas, Oklahoma, EDGE

2025 Watchlist

S Xavion Alford, Arizona State
LB CJ Allen, Georgia
ED David Bailey, Texas Tech
DE Rueben Bain Jr., Miami
DT Caleb Banks, Florida
LB Jaishawn Barham, Michigan
LB Rasheem Biles, Pitt
LB Bryce Boettcher, Oregon
S KJ Bolden, Georgia
LB Drayk Bowen, Notre Dame
LB Sean Brown, NC State
LB Arion Carter, Tennessee
S Bud Clark, TCU
DT Dontay Corleone, Cincinnati
CB Tacario Davis, Washington
DE Dani Dennis-Sutton, Penn State
S Caleb Downs, Ohio State
DT Zane Durant, Penn State
LB Kyle Efford, Georgia Tech
CB Daylen Everette, Georgia
DE Keldric Faulk, Auburn
LB Aiden Fisher, Indiana
LB Caden Fordham, NC State
CB OJ Frederique Jr., Miami
LB Isaiah Glasker, BYU
DT Aaron Graves, Iowa
CB Al'zillion Hamilton, Fresno State
CB A.J. Harris, Penn State
LB Jason Henderson, Old Dominion
LB Anthony Hill Jr., Texas
DE Santana Hopper, Tulane
DT Lee Hunter, Texas Tech
OLB Gabe Jacas, Illinois
DT Darrell Jackson Jr., Florida State
DE Mikail Kamara, Indiana
DT Tim Keenan III, Alabama
LB Deontae Lawson, Alabama
CB Will Lee III, Texas A&M
LB Bryan Longwell, Vanderbilt
LB Kyle Louis, Pitt
CB A'Marion McCoy, Boise State
CB Jermod McCoy, Tennessee
DT Christen Miller, Georgia
ED Derrick Moore, Michigan
CB Leonard Moore, Notre Dame
S Terry Moore, Duke
CB Josh Moten, Southern Miss
LB Red Murdock, Buffalo
S Isaiah Nwokobia, SMU
DT Domonique Orange, Iowa State
DE T.J. Parker, Clemson
S Koi Perich, Minnesota
LB Suntarine Perkins, Ole Miss
LB Harold Perkins Jr., LSU
LB Jordan Pollard, San Jose State
CB D'Angelo Ponds, Indiana
S Kamari Ramsey, USC
CB Chandler Rivers, Duke
NG Landon Robinson, Navy
LB Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech
LB Austin Romaine, Kansas State
ED Tyreak Sapp, Florida
DB Xavier Scott, Illinois
ED Colin Simmons, Texas
S Tyree Skipper, Louisiana
CB Avery Smith, Toledo
S Isaac Smith, Mississippi State
CB Smith Snowden, Utah
LB Xavian Sorey Jr., Arkansas
ED Dylan Stewart, South Carolina
ED Kobe Stewart, Buffalo
LB Sonny Styles, Ohio State
S Michael Taaffe, Texas
CB Avieon Terrell, Clemson
S Dillon Thieneman, Oregon
LB Andon Thomas, Army
S Jacob Thomas, James Madison
LB Keaton Thomas, Baylor
DE R Mason Thomas, Oklahoma
OLB Matayo Uiagalelei, Oregon
LB Mac Uihlein, Northwestern
LB Cade Uluave, Cal
ED Jayden Virgin-Morgan, Boise State
S DJ Walker, Ohio
LB Whit Weeks, LSU
ED Trey White, San Diego State
DE William Whitlow Jr., Memphis
CB Jontez Williams, Iowa State
DT Peter Woods, Clemson
LB Taurean York, Texas A&M

Award Info

2025 Key Dates
Watch List: Mon., Aug 11
Semifinalists: Wed., Nov 12
Finalists: Tue., Nov 25
Winner: Thu., Dec 11

Presentation Banquet: Fri., Mar 13
College Football Hall of Fame
Atlanta, Ga.
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