Chuck 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. The Maxwell Club is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and the presentations are held in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Club members are given voting privileges for the award.

Winners

YearPlayerPositionSchoolDraftRef
1995Pat FitzgeraldLBNorthwestern Undrafted
1996Pat FitzgeraldLBNorthwestern Undrafted
1997Charles WoodsonCBMichigan4th
1998Dat NguyenLBTexas A&M85th
1999LaVar ArringtonLBPenn State2nd
2000Dan MorganLBMiami11th
2001Julius PeppersDENorth Carolina2nd
2002E. J. HendersonLBMaryland40th
2003Teddy LehmanLBOklahoma37th
2004David PollackLBGeorgia17th
2005Paul PoslusznyLBPenn State 34th
2006Paul PoslusznyLBPenn State 34th
2007Dan ConnorLBPenn State 74th
2008Rey MaualugaLBUSC38th
2009Ndamukong SuhDTNebraska2nd
2010Patrick PetersonCBLSU5th
2011Tyrann MathieuCBLSU 69th
2012Manti Te'oLBNotre Dame38th
2013Aaron DonaldDTPittsburgh13th
2014Scooby Wright IIILBArizona250th
2015Tyler MatakevichLBTemple246th
2016Jonathan AllenDTAlabama17th
2017Minkah FitzpatrickCBAlabama 11th
2018Josh AllenLBKentucky7th
2019Chase YoungDEOhio State2nd
2020Zaven CollinsLBTulsa16th
2021Jordan DavisDTGeorgia 13th
2022Will Anderson Jr.LBAlabama 3rd
2023Payton WilsonLBNC State98th
2024Travis HunterCBColorado2nd