The 2024 Bednarik Award Watch List: 41-50

Xavier Watts — © Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports

On Aug. 12, the Maxwell Football Club released the 2024 Bednarik Award Watch List. Since 1995, the Chuck Bednarik Award has been given to the best defensive player in college football. The first player to win the Bednarik Award was Northwestern linebacker Pat Fitzgerald, who won it in 1995 and 1996. Last year's recipient was LB Payton Wilson from North Carolina State.

The Bednarik Award is named after University of Pennsylvania linebacker and center Chuck Bednarik, who played for the Quakers from 1945-48. One of the last players to consistently play on both sides of the ball, Bednarik was nicknamed "Concrete Charlie" and the "60-Minute Man". In 1948, the Ivy League star won the Maxwell Award and finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting.

Bednarik was a three-time All-American at Penn and was the first overall pick of the Philadelphia Eagles in the 1949 NFL Draft. He spent 14 years in the NFL and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1967. After high school, Bednarik enlisted in the Air Force during World War II. He flew more than 30 combat missions in Germany as a waist gunner on a B-24 aircraft.

Howard Cross III, Defensive Tackle, Notre Dame

One of three Fighting Irish defenders to make the Bednarik Watch List, Cross is a 6-foot-1, 288-pound nose tackle from Paramus, N.J. In 2023, Cross was selected as a second-team All-American by the Football Writers Association of America, among others. He was a Bednarik semifinalist and a Lott IMPACT Trophy quarterfinalist. Cross finished with 66 tackles, 7 TFL and 2 sacks. He was credited with 4 QB hurries and 2 forced fumbles.

Cross is entering his sixth year for Notre Dame. In 2022, he led all Irish interior defensive linemen with 33 tackles. He was a four-star prospect in 2019 coming out of St. Joseph High School, where he won a state championship and was named the 2018 New Jersey Player of the Year. Cross is the son of Howard Cross Jr., a tight end for the New York Giants from 1989 to 2001 who appeared in two Super Bowls.

Tonka Hemingway, Defensive Tackle, South Carolina

The 6-foot-3, 288-pound DT from Conway, S.C., was named second-team All-Southeastern Conference by College Football Network in 2023. Last season, Hemingway was a disruptive force on the interior of the Gamecocks defensive line, finishing with 32 tackles, 4.5 TFL and 1.5 sacks. He added 7 PBUs, 6 QB hurries and 2 fumble recoveries. In last year's Battle of the Gamecocks against Jacksonville State, Hemingway had 4 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 PBU and a fumble recovery to go along with a two-yard rushing TD.

As a junior in 2022, Hemingway recorded 33 tackles, including a team-high 4 sacks. He was second on the team with 8 TFL and added 2 fumble recoveries. Hemingway has been on the SEC Academic Honor Roll each of the last four years. Hemingway was named first-team All-State at Conway High School in 2019 after finishing with 92 tackles and 24 TFL. He also handled the punting duties for the Conway Tigers.

Jason Henderson, Linebacker, Old Dominion

Henderson returns for his senior season with the Monarchs after finishing second in the country in 2023 with 170 tackles. The first-team Walter Camp All-American also added 19.5 TFL, 4 sacks and a forced fumble. He holds both the single-game and career records at ODU for tackles, with 22 and 436, respectively. His strong 2023 season resulted in his second consecutive first-team All-Sun Belt Conference selection.

In 2022, Henderson was named a second-team All-American and led the nation with 186 tackles and led the Monarchs with 10 TFL. At 6-foot-1, 225-pounds, Henderson was a three-star prospect from Dingmans Ferry, Pa. While at Delaware Valley High School, Henderson set a school record for tackles and finished fifth at the PIAA State Wrestling Championships at 195 pounds. In July, Henderson was named to the Nagurski Trophy Watch List.

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Maxen Hook, Safety, Toledo

Hook is a two-time first-team All-Mid American Conference selection at safety. In 2023, Hook finished third on the team with 69 tackles and tied for third in the MAC with 3 INTs despite missing five games due to injury. Hook recorded 9 tackles and 1 PBU in the MAC Championship Game in 2023, where the Rockets lost to Miami (Ohio) 23-14.

His 2022 campaign ended with 81 tackles, 4 PBUs and 2 INTs. Hook was a chosen as a team captain for the Rockets in 2023. Hailing from New Palestine, Ind., the former three-star prospect was named Indiana's Defensive Back Mr. Football in 2019 after posting 90 tackles and winning the 5A high school state championship. In addition to his stellar play in the secondary during that season, Hook caught 23 passes for 447 receiving yards and 7 TDs.

Patrick Jenkins, Defensive Tackle, Tulane

The 6-foot-2, 293-pound senior DT has been named to the Bednarik Trophy Watch List for the second consecutive season. The 2023 season was a productive one for Jenkins, who finished with 11.5 TFL and 5.5 sacks. His consistent play up front helped the Green Wave to an 11-3 finish and an appearance in the American Athletic Conference Championship game.

In 2022, Jenkins led Tulane to 12 wins, an AAC title and a Cotton Bowl victory against USC. Jenkins recorded 38 tackles and 8 TFL. The four-star prospect hails from New Orleans and spent his first two seasons after high school with the TCU Horned Frogs. Jenkins has also been named to the Outland, Nagurski and Wuerffel Trophy Watch Lists for the 2024 season.

Chandler Martin, Linebacker, Memphis

Martin is a 6-foot, 230-pound redshirt-junior from Lithonia, Ga. In his first season at Memphis, he was named first-team All-AAC after leading the team with 95 tackles, 17 TFL and 3 sacks. Martin was all over the field for the Tigers, adding 3 QB hurries, 2 INTs and 2 PBUs. Against Charlotte, Martin made 9 tackles, 2 TFL and returned an interception 60 yards for a touchdown.

Martin transferred to Memphis from East Tennessee State, where he spent two seasons. In 2022, he was selected as a Freshman All-American after recording 99 tackles and 3.5 sacks in only 10 games. He attended AAC Media Days in July alongside head coach Ryan Silverfield and QB Seth Henigan.

Benjamin Morrison, Cornerback, Notre Dame

The junior cornerback was a Jim Thorpe Award semifinalist in 2023 after leading the Irish with 10 PBUs. Morrison added 31 tackles and 3 INTs, good for second on the team behind Xavier Watts. Morrison's biggest game last year came against Caleb Williams and the Trojans where he finished with 4 tackles. Morrison added an interception with just under four minutes remaining before halftime. After the turnover, the Irish marched down the field to take a commanding 24-7 lead into the intermission.

Morrison was a Freshman All-American in 2022 after leading Notre Dame with 6 INTs, including 3 against Boston College, which tied an Irish record. He returned an interception 96 yards for a touchdown against Clemson in 2022 to put the Irish up 28-0. He finished his rookie campaign with 33 tackles and 4 PBUs.

Colin Ramos, Linebacker, Navy

After a highly productive campaign in 2023, Ramos was named first-team All-AAC. He led the Midshipmen with 110 tackles, 8 TFL and 2 sacks. The 5-foot-11, 209-pound history major from Wayne, N.J., was chosen as a co-captain by his teammates for the 2024 season.

As a sophomore in 2022, Ramos earned Phil Steele third-team All-AAC honors after recording 79 tackles, 8.5 TFL and 4 sacks. In July, Ramos was named to both the Bronco Nagurski Trophy and the Lott IMPACT Trophy Watch Lists. No player from a Service Academy has ever won the Bednarik Award.

Jaden Voisin, Safety, South Alabama

The redshirt-senior was named first-team All-Sun Belt in 2023 after posting 71 tackles, 7 PBUs and a team-leading 4 INTs. Voisin is a 5-foot-10, 212-pound ball-hawk who started every game for the Jaguars in 2023. In 2022, Voisin tallied 80 tackles, 6 TFL, 5 PBUs and 2 INTs.

Voisin is a former two-star prospect from Crestview High School in Florida, where he also lettered in track and basketball. South Alabama football is truly a Voisin-family tradition. Voisin's twin brother Devin plays wide receiver for the Jaguars. The twins' older brother Keon played safety for South Alabama from 2018 to 2021. In July, Voisin was also added to both the Bronco Nagurski Trophy and Jim Thorpe Award Watch Lists.

Xavier Watts, Safety, Notre Dame

Watts returns for his fifth season for the Fighting Irish as one of the most decorated players in the country. In 2023, he was named a unanimous All-American and Notre Dame's Defensive Player of the Year after totaling 52 tackles, 3 TFL and 4 pass break-ups. Watts won the Nagurski Trophy in 2023 after leading the nation with 7 interceptions.

Watts enjoyed his best performance against the USC Trojans, finishing with 7 tackles, 2 INTs and a fumble recovery for a touchdown. He finished his 2022 season with 39 tackles and 3 PBUs primarily as a reserve safety. The last player from Notre Dame to win the Bednarik Award was LB Manti Te'o in 2012, who led the Irish to the BCS National Championship Game.

Check out who else made the Bednarik Award Watch List!

Also, check out who is on the Maxwell Award Watch List!

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