Star Baylor defensive player named to Bednarik Award Watch List
Baylor star LB Keaton Thomas continues to add to his impressive resume. On Monday, Thomas was announced to the Bednarik Award Watch List ahead of the 2025 season. Each year, the award is handed to the most outstanding defensive player in college football.
Last year, Thomas starred for the Bears in which he led the team with 114 tackles. This year, Thomas will have FIU transfer Travion Barnes to help out, but it's clear that Thomas is among the best in the Big 12 -- if not the nation.
You can read the full press release below:
Baylor football linebacker Keaton Thomas has been named to the Chuck Bednarik Award preseason watch list, as announced Monday by the Maxwell Football Club.
The Bednarik Award has been given to the College Defensive Player of the Year since 1995. It is named in honor of Chuck Bednarik, an NFL Hall of Fame linebacker and center who played his entire career with the Philadelphia Eagles. Bednarik exemplified toughness, excellence and leadership on the field – values that the award bearing his name seeks to recognize in today’s top defensive players.
Thomas is one of 90 players selected to this year’s preseason watch list, including 12 representing the Big 12.
A product of Jacksonville, Fla., Thomas earned first-team All-Big 12 honors in his debut season with BU last year, starting all 13 games at inside linebacker and racking up 114 tackles, including seven for a loss and 2.5 sacks. He added three quarterback hurries and returned an interception for a touchdown. Thomas logged four games with double-digit tackles and teamed with Matt Jones to become the first Baylor linebacker duo since 2012 to each eclipse 100 tackles in a season. Thomas’ 114 stops ranked 25th in the country in 2024.
One of the most decorated BU players of the 2025 preseason, this watch list nod marks Thomas’ third of the summer, having already been named to the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and Butkus Award watch lists. Additionally, multiple publications have dubbed Thomas a preseason All-American, as well as an All-Big 12 selection and All-Texas standout.
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