Courtesy of Air Force Athletics
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — The Maxwell Football Club today announced its watch list for the 29th Chuck Bednarik Award presented annually to the outstanding defensive player in college football.
The Bednarik Award has been presented to the College Defensive Player of the Year since 1994 and is named in honor of Chuck “Concrete Charlie” Bednarik who was an All-American player at the University of Pennsylvania and later a multiple year All Pro linebacker and center for the Philadelphia Eagles. He is a member of both the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame and was the last NFL player to be a full-time player on both offense and defense.
Taylor, who is also on the Bronco Nagurski watch list as the nation’s top defensive player and the Jim Thorpe Award Watch List as the nation’s top defensive back, led the Falcons in tackles last season with 69. He added 4.5 tackles for loss and a sack, along with two interceptions. A preseason all-Mountain West selection, Taylor was a second-team all-MW pick in 2022. He enters this season with 131 career tackles which leads all returning Falcons.
The Bednarik Award watch list will once again incorporate a broad spectrum of Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) programs and conferences from coast to coast, led by 5 returning 2022 semifinalists: Kool-Aid McKinstry (Alabama), Tyler Davis (Clemson), Jer’Zhan Newton (Illinois), Tommy Eichenberg (Ohio State) and Jason Henderson (Old Dominion). Clemson and Penn State lead the way with 3 candidates each with an additional 9 schools boasting 2 candidates.
Last year’s Chuck Bednarik Award winner was Will Anderson Jr. (Alabama) who went on to be the 1st round selection of the Houston Texans in the 2023 NFL Draft. Anderson joined Alabama greats Jonathan Allen (2016) and Minkah Fitzpatrick (2017) as the third Crimson Tide player to win the award.
