Hutchings named to Bednarik Award watch list
PHILADELPHIA – Texas Tech senior defensive tackle Jaylon Hutchings was named to the 2023 Chuck Bednarik Award preseason watch list on Monday. The annual award, presented by the Maxwell Football Club, is given to the most outstanding defensive player in college football.
Hutchings’ nod for the Bednarik Award watch list adds to the preseason recognition he’s received, which started with being named to the All-Big 12 preseason team in July. It continued with being tabbed to both the 2023 Bronko Nagurski Trophy and Outland Trophy preseason watch lists last week.
Hutchings is one of 85 defensive standouts named to the Bednarik Award watch list and is one of 11 recognized in the Big 12. Dontay Corleone of Cincinnati joins Hutchings as the only other candidate from the Big 12 that is a defensive tackle.
Hutchings enters 2023 as one of the most-experienced defensive linemen in the country entering his super-senior season with 46 career starts up front for the Red Raiders. Hutchings has totaled 149 career tackles, including 18.5 for a loss and 7.5 sacks. He is coming off his best season as a Red Raider with 50 stops in 2022 and 5.5 tackles that went for a loss.
The announcement by the Maxwell Football Club concludes the NCFAA watch list calendar that started on July 31. Overall, the Red Raider football program was represented on nine of the 16 NCFAA watch lists with Hutchings leading the group individually being on three different lists.
About the Bednarik Award
The Bednarik Award has been presented to the College Defensive Player of the Year since 1994 and is named in honor of Chuck “Concrete Charlie” Bednarik who was an All-American player at the University of Pennsylvania and later a multiple-year All-Pro linebacker and center for the Philadelphia Eagles. He is a member of both the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame and was the last NFL player to be a full-time player on both offense and defense.
NCFAA Watch List Wrap-Up
Sixteen NCFAA members unveiled their respective preseason watch lists over the previous two-week period as the association spearheads a coordinated effort to promote each award’s preseason candidates.
The following is the complete 2023 preseason watch list calendar. Texas Tech was included on nine of the 16 watch lists, led by Hutchings who was named to three lists alone.
Mon., July 31: Maxwell Award – Tyler Shough
Tue., Aug. 1: Outland Trophy – Jaylon Hutchings / Bronko Nagurski Trophy – Jaylon Hutchings
Wed., Aug. 2: Lou Groza Award – none / Ray Guy Award – Austin McNamara
Thu., Aug. 3: Paul Hornung Award – none / Wuerffel Trophy – Tony Bradford Jr.
Fri., Aug. 4: Mackey Award – none / Rimington Trophy – Rusty Staats
Mon., Aug. 7: Biletnikoff Award – Jerand Bradley
Tue., Aug. 8: Davey O’Brien Award – none
Wed., Aug. 9: Doak Walker Award – Tahj Brooks
Thu., Aug. 10: Butkus Award – none / Jim Thorpe Award – none
Fri., Aug. 11: Walter Camp Award – none
Mon., Aug. 14: Bednarik Award – Jaylon Hutchings
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Release Provided by Matt Burkholder Texas Tech Athletics