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The Chuck Bednarik Award is given yearly to the best defensive player in college football for that season. The award, named after legendary NFL and College Football Hall of Fame linebacker and center Charles "Chuck" Bednarik, has been around since 1995, with Northwestern Wildcat linebacker Pat Fitzgerald being the first-ever recipient.
This year, the competition is fierce and plenty of great players will be in the running for the award. In total, 90 players are selected for the Bednarik Award Watch List. In this series, College Football Dawgs goes over the watch list members and what made them chosen for this preseason honor. Here are just a few from the Big 12 Conference, which while not known as the conference of legendary defenses, still have strong contenders for the award.
Dontay Corleone, Defensive Tackle, Cincinnati
Corleone starts off our list as perhaps the best defensive tackle in the Big 12. Corleone, a junior, has spent his entire career with the Cincinnati Bearcats and has become an anchor along their defensive front. A leader both on and off the field as well as a Cincinnati native, the support Cincinnati and Corleone have for each other has known no bounds, with the Bearcat community coming together to make sure Corleone recovered well after his bout with pulmonary embolisms this past summer.
Now looking to be back out onto the field as soon as the first game, Corleone is set for a massive year where he will show why he deserves to win this prestigious award. Thus far, Corleone has proven he has the strength and skill to be an excellent candidate. In his career to this point, Corleone has recorded 84 total tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 6 sacks, 3 forced fumbles and 2 fumble recoveries.
It is anticipated that Corleone, despite his health scare, will take a massive step up this year. Something the Bearcats will take pride in this year is their strength up front on both sides of the ball, with Corleone being the leader on the defensive side.
BJ Green, EDGE, Colorado
The second entry on this list is Green. He is a transfer from fellow Big 12 program, the Arizona State Sun Devils, and will be entering his fifth season of eligibility this fall.
Green has so far been a force along the defensive front, with 60 total tackles, 21 tackles for loss, 14 sacks and 1 forced fumble. He will bring energy to the Buffaloes' defensive line which could have performed better last year, averaging 2.27 sacks per game and just 5.4 tackles for loss.
If Green can find his stride quickly with a new team and be a leader along with fellow defensive phenom Travis Hunter, then he will be a strong contender for this award.
Travis Hunter, Cornerback, Colorado
Speaking of Hunter, he makes this list as well at his defensive position of cornerback. Perhaps the best two-way player in the game right now, Hunter is a versatile athlete with an immense skillset that has brought him much success to this point.
The highest-ever prospect to ever go to an HBCU coming out of high school, high expectations are nothing new for Hunter and so far he's lived up to them with gusto. Coming into a Power Four team when transferring to Colorado hasn't changed that and a new conference likely won't either.
Hunter has notched many stats in his career to this point, however, focusing on his stats at the FBS level, Hunter has notched 30 total tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 3 interceptions and 5 pass deflections. Going into his junior year, expectations are once again quite high for the young star, but once again, high expectations have never been a problem. Can he peek his head out, though, above the rest and be the nation's best defender while also doing double duty on offense? Time will tell.
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Jeremiah Cooper, Safety, Iowa State
Cooper takes a spot on this list for many reasons. Cooper, a junior for the Cyclones, has been another player on the long list of great Iowa State defensive backs that have passed through the program recently. His ball skills, zone coverage abilities and open-field tackling have all been superb attributes of his, with NFL scouts as well as prestigious clubs like the Maxwell Football Club taking notice.
Cooper has notched 77 total tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, 5 interceptions with one being returned for a touchdown, 10 pass deflections and 1 fumble recovery throughout his career to this point. Going into his junior season, he looks to improve further on his statistics but also be a leader on this Iowa State defense, a unit that has time and again proven to be one of the strongest in the Big 12 and in college football.
Should Cooper and this underrated, under-appreciated defense perform at their highest level this season, pairing them with the Cyclones' high-powered offense will be a threat to all of the Big 12. Should Cooper be the one to lead that defense to this goal, he will find himself well within the running for the Bednarik.
Cobee Bryant, Cornerback, Kansas
Next on this list, we have Bryant, who has proven to be one of the nation's best cornerbacks. Bryant has had great development during his time with the Kansas Jayhawks, being at Kansas his entire career and being a part of the meteoric rise their football program has gone through these past few years. This year, Bryant and the Jayhawks look to take it to the next level.
Bryant, also known as "Hawk Mamba," taking after the late NBA superstar Kobe Bryant, has been a leader on this Jayhawk secondary that has seen numbers not seen for this unit since the days of Aqib Talib and Chris Harris Jr. Bryant has accumulated 91 total tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 9 interceptions with two being returned for touchdowns, 15 pass deflections, 2 forced fumbles and 2 fumble recoveries with one being returned for a touchdown in his three-year career so far.
He is proving to NFL scouts as well as award voters that he is one of the strongest prospects out there right now, but he certainly hasn't done it alone. This Jayhawk secondary hasn't just had Bryant as a major asset, but guys like Kenny Logan Jr., Marvin Grant and most notably, Mello Dotson have all put this secondary back on the map. Should Bryant and his partner corner Dotson have a big year this year, expect some major accolades to come their way, this award included.
Austin Moore, Linebacker, Kansas State
Going from one Kansas school to the other, Moore has had a great career to this point, making him one of the best linebackers in the nation. Moore has led this Kansas State defense to being arguably the best in the conference this season, which is the big reason why he makes this list.
Moore's leadership through 47 total games played has done leaps and bounds, but his other stats also speak for themselves. Moore can play ball. In total, Moore has accumulated 172 total tackles, 25.5 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 1 interception, 4 pass deflections, 2 forced fumbles and 2 fumble recoveries throughout his career.
Moore is a tackling machine, which is what Bednarik was most known for. He fits the bill for this award, but does he fit it better than everyone else up for selection? Should he build upon his numbers over the past two years of excellent performance, as well as lead this Wildcats defense to stop the high-powered offenses of the Big 12 on a consistent basis, he will certainly be a more worthy choice.
Nick Martin, Linebacker, Oklahoma State
Another linebacker with the experience and skills to pay the bills, Martin has been a force. The 2023 season ended up being a marquee year for the young man out of Texarkana, Texas, being the Big 12's tackling leader last year with 140 total tackles (sixth in the FBS) as well as placing sixth in the conference with 6 total sacks.
Throughout his career, Martin has recorded 156 total tackles, 16 tackles for loss, 6 sacks, 2 interceptions, 1 forced fumble and 1 fumble recovery. Should Martin keep with the same production he had last year, he will be a shoo-in for this award after breaking out just last season.
NFL scouts as well as award voters have taken notice of his numbers, but becoming an upperclassman has meant a bigger role in leadership as well. If Martin keeps building on his stats as well as becomes a leader for this Cowboy defense, it will be very hard not to put him in the running for this award.
Collin Oliver, Linebacker, Oklahoma State
Joining Martin's side at the other starting linebacker position, Oliver played a big role in Martin's breakout season last year. Oliver and Martin were forces to be reckoned with along the Cowboy front seven, something that will likely be the case this year as well. Oliver finds his way onto this list though not only for what he did for Martin, but also the numbers he put up as well.
Oliver led the Big 12 in forced fumbles, notching 4 last year which also placed him third among the entire FBS. He also led the Big 12 in sacks with 11.5 and was seventh on that FBS leaderboard. In total, the hybrid defensive end/linebacker has notched 130 total tackles, 38.5 tackles for loss, 22.5 sacks, 5 pass deflections, 5 forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.
Oliver is the very definition of a "Bednarik" style player. Hard-hitting, physical, gets into the backfield with ease and overall a force of nature that has terrified opposing quarterbacks for four years now. He and Martin being on the same defense is borderline unfair and we will see just how unfair it is when this upcoming season begins. Will one of them be walking away with the Bednarik when all is said and done?
Namdi Obiazor, Linebacker, TCU
Obiazor is a great junior college success story. Starting out his career with the Iowa Western Community College Reivers, one of the nation's premier junior-college programs, Obiazor started out at safety. While with the Reivers, Obiazor recorded 31 total tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 1 interception, 4 pass deflections and 1 field goal block in 16 games played.
Obiazor would bulk up though, already being pretty big for the safety position at 6-foot-3, 205 pounds. He put on 15 pounds to get up to 220 and once he graduated from Iowa Western, joined up with the TCU Horned Frogs in 2022. Thus far in his FBS career, Obiazor has recorded 133 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 4 sacks, 4 pass deflections and a fumble recovery.
Obiazor enters his senior year as a well-seasoned, well-developed football player. His speed, ball skills, pursuit skills and overall defensive vision have made him a well-balanced linebacker with a versatile skillset. Obiazor was named to the 2023 All-Big 12 Team as an Honorable Mention and hopes to make his way onto the first team when all is said and done. There's faith there that he will be able to do more than that though. Given his work ethic to this point as well as his skills, it's safe to say that faith is put in the right place.
Lee Hunter, Defensive Tackle, UCF
Rounding out the list is Hunter, a junior defensive tackle for the UCF Knights. Hunter takes a revamped UCF defense into the Knights' second season of Big 12 play. A team full of transfers, this UCF defense looks very different than it did last year. Hunter is one of the few returners, therefore it falls upon him to allow this group to mesh and have chemistry.
Hunter has accumulated 86 total tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 4 sacks and 1 pass deflection in his career to this point. Entering his junior season, Hunter will be an upperclassmen leader on this team, a team that as stated previously, is going through some significant changes and is looking to be a team that will be a dark-horse contender for the conference.
Hunter will be a major part of this. He had a breakout year in 2023, which has brought him national attention. He will have big expectations, but he has had no problem in meeting what is asked to this point. In order to win the Bednarik Award though, it will have to be more than meeting what is asked. Hunter will have to go above and beyond, but UCF certainly sends its best with this young man.
Big 12' s Finest
As stated before, the Big 12 isn't the premier conference for defense, but that doesn't mean there isn't talent within this great conference that can win this award. These 10 players are among the Big 12's finest players, offensively or defensively, and should one of them stand out above the rest, there is a great chance they will find themselves among the finalists for this award.
The question is, which player will step up? Who among this group will be that Big 12 representative? Which contender will prove themselves among the best? It is set to be an exciting season for college football and these players will bring some of the most excitement.
Check out who else made the Bednarik Award Watch List!
The 2024 Bednarik Award Watch List: 81-90
Also, check out who is on the Maxwell Award Watch List!
This article is brought to you by the Maxwell Football Club, home of the prestigious Maxwell & Chuck Bednarik Awards. Become a member of the Maxwell Football Club and gain the exclusive privilege of voting for these and other nationally-recognized awards.
With over 75 years of honoring football’s finest, the Maxwell Football Club offers you the unique opportunity to help recognize top talent from high school to the professional level. By joining, you’ll be part of a tradition that celebrates excellence and helps shape the game's future.
Be part of the excitement at the Maxwell Football Awards Gala held in March 2025 at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta. At the Gala, you will experience the official presentation of the awards. Don’t miss your chance to contribute to football history. Become a member TODAY by visiting https://www.maxwellfootballclub.org/jointheclub.
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