PHILADELPHIA – Five Mountain West football players are among the 90 student-athletes on the 2025 Chuck Bednarik Award Watch List, as announced today by the Maxwell Football Club. The award honors the outstanding defensive player in college football.
Boise State cornerback A’Marion McCoy and EDGE Jayden Virgin-Morgan, Fresno State cornerback Al’zillion Hamilton, San Diego State EDGE Trey White and San José State linebacker Jordan Pollard represent the Mountain West on the initial watch list.
The MW’s five players on the watch list are fifth-most in the FBS, trailing only the SEC, Big Ten, ACC and Big 12. Boise State is one just two non-autonomous programs with multiple selections.
The Bednarik Award has been presented to the College Defensive Player of the Year since 1995 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.
The Maxwell Football Club has once again partnered with Pro Football Focus (PFF) and Phil Steele Publications as selection committee partners. PFF provides detailed metrics and performance-based assessments to selection committee staff, with several senior PFF analysts being members of our selection committee. Phil Steele’s College Football Preview is generally recognized as the most complete preseason magazine.
Semifinalists for the Bednarik Award will be announced Nov. 11, while the three finalists for the Bednarik Award will be unveiled Nov. 25. The winner of the 31st Bednarik Award will be announced as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show held on Dec. 11. The formal presentations of the Bednarik Award will be made at the Maxwell Football Club Awards on Friday, March 13, 2026, in Atlanta, Georgia.
Chuck Bednarik Award Watch List (MW representatives)
A’Marion McCoy, Sr., CB, Boise State
Jayden Virgin-Morgan, Jr., EDGE, Boise State
Al’zillion Hamilton, Sr., CB, Fresno State
Trey White, Jr., EDGE, San Diego State
Jordan Pollard, Sr., LB, San José State
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