Clemson DT Tyler Davis Named as Bednarik Award Semifinalist

The Maxwell Football Club announced today that Clemson defensive tackle Tyler Davis has been named as one of 20 semifinalists for the 2022 Chuck Bednarik Award, presented to the nation’s outstanding defensive player of the year.

The Maxwell Football Club announced today that Clemson defensive tackle Tyler Davis has been named as one of 20 semifinalists for the 2022 Chuck Bednarik Award, presented to the nation’s outstanding defensive player of the year.

Maxwell Football Club Executive Director, Mark Wolpert, announced the 2022 semifinalists for the 86th Maxwell Award for the Collegiate Player of the Year and the 28th Chuck Bednarik Award for the Outstanding Defensive Player of the Year. The respective lists include a field of 20 candidates for the Maxwell and 20 candidates for the Bednarik Award as selected by the Maxwell Football Club National Selection Committee. The Maxwell Football Club has once again partnered with Pro Football Focus (PFF) and Phil Steele Publications as selection committee partners. PFF provides detailed statistical and performance-based assessments to selection committee staff, and several senior PFF analysts have been added to the selection committee and have participated in the process. Phil Steele’s College Football Preview is generally recognized as the most complete football reference in the country.

A strong field of Maxwell Award semifinalists includes representatives from 6 conferences and 1 independent school, with the PAC-12 and SEC boasting 5 candidates each and the Big Ten notching 4 spots. Bryce Young (Alabama), CJ Stroud (Ohio State) and Bijan Robinson (Texas) join the list for the second consecutive year with the remaining candidates all being first-time semifinalists.

On the defensive side of the ball, the field of contenders is comprised of fresh faces, with Will Anderson Jr. (Alabama) being the lone Bednarik Award semifinalist returnee. Seven different conferences are represented, led by seven student-athletes from the Big Ten and five from the SEC.

Last season, the Maxwell Award was presented to Alabama quarterback Bryce Young and the Bednarik Award went to Georgia defensive tackle Jordan Davis. Davis was selected with the No.10 overall pick in this year’s NFL draft by the Philadelphia Eagles and Young is completing his junior season for the Crimson Tide.

Semifinalist voting for both of the collegiate awards presented by the Maxwell Football Club will begin on Wednesday Nov. 2 and will close on Nov. 20. Three finalists for each award will be announced on Nov. 22 and a finalist round of voting will take place at that time. Eligible voters include Maxwell Football Club members, NCAA head football coaches, sports information directors and selected national media. All semifinalists are listed in alphabetical order by school with the player’s school, position and class designated.

The winners of the 86th Maxwell Award and the 28th Chuck Bednarik Award will be announced as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show which will be broadcast live on ESPN on December 8, 2022. The formal presentation of the Maxwell and Chuck Bednarik Awards will take place at the 86th Maxwell Awards Gala which will be held in March 2023.

Chuck Bednarik Award Semifinalists

LB Will Anderson Jr.- Alabama

CB Kool-Aid McKinstry- Alabama

LB Drew Sanders- Arkansas

LB Ivan Pace Jr.- Cincinnati

DT Tyler Davis- Clemson

S Christopher Smith- Georgia

DT Jer'Zhan Newton- Illinois

CB Devon Witherspoon- Illinois

LB Jack Campbell- Iowa

DT Felix Anudike-Uzomah- Kansas State

DE Mike Morris- Michigan

CB Emmanuel Forbes- Mississippi State

LB Tony Eichenberg- Ohio State

LB Jason Henderson- Old Dominion

CB Joey Porter Jr.- Penn State

DT Calijah Kancey- Pitt

LB Tyree Wilson- Texas Tech

DT Tull Tuipulotu- USC

CB Clark Phillips III- Utah

S John Torchio- Wisconsin

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