PHILADELPHIA — BYU linebacker Ben Bywater was named Monday to the watch list for the 29th Chuck Bednarik Award presented annually to the outstanding defensive player in college football by the Maxwell Football Club.
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.
The Bednarik Award watch list will once again incorporate a broad spectrum of Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) programs and conferences from coast to coast, led by 5 returning 2022 semifinalists: Kool-Aid McKinstry (Alabama), Tyler Davis (Clemson), Jer’Zhan Newton (Illinois), Tommy Eichenberg (Ohio State) and Jason Henderson (Old Dominion). Clemson and Penn State lead the way with 3 candidates each with an additional 9 schools boasting 2 candidates.
Instincts – you either have 'em or you don't.
— Cam Mellor (@CamMellor) July 27, 2023
BYU LB Ben Bywater has them -- and a ton of other #elite skills at the LB position.pic.twitter.com/IZFBwVKOJn
Bywater, a 6-3, 235-pound junior from Salt Lake City was recently named to the Butkus Award Watch List and selected as a Lott IMPACT Trophy candidate for the second consecutive season. Bywater was also named to the 2023 Phil Steele Preseason All-Big 12 Third Team as well as the Athlon Sports Preseason All-Big 12 Fourth Team.
As a sophomore in 2022, Bywater led BYU in tackles with 98, becoming first player to lead the Cougars in tackles in back-to-back seasons since current San Francisco 49er All-Pro Fred Warner did so in 2016-17. In addition, Bywater recorded four tackles-for-loss, one sack, three interceptions and two pass breakups during the 2022 season.
Bywater was named the 2022 New Mexico Bowl Defensive MVP after recording his first career pick-six in a game-changing play that helped BYU defeat SMU 24-23. He was named 2022 Phil Steele All-Independent Second Team and was selected to the Associated Press All-Bowl Team for his outstanding play in the New Mexico Bowl.
The junior linebacker also excelled in the classroom, being named Academic All-District in 2022 by the College Sports Communicator for a second consecutive year. Bywater has a 3.65 GPA in the finance program in the Marriott School of Business and was a 2022 candidate for CSC Academic All-American for the second year in a row.
🏈@BYUfootball's Ben Bywater has been named to the 2023 #BednarikAward watch list.#MaxwellFootball pic.twitter.com/ycJVSZmNqa
— Maxwell Football (@MaxwellFootball) August 14, 2023
The Chuck Bednarik Award has once again partnered with Pro Football Focus (PFF) and Phil Steele Publications as selection committee partners. PFF provides detailed metrics and performance-based assessments to selection committee staff, with several senior PFF analysts are members of our selection committee. Phil Steele’s College Football Preview is generally recognized as the most complete preseason magazine.
Semifinalists for the Chuck Bednarik Award will be announced November 13, 2023, while the three finalists for the Bednarik Award will be unveiled November 28, 2023. The winners of the 29th Chuck Bednarik Award will be announced as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show held on December 7, 2023. The formal presentations of the Chuck Bednarik Award will be made at the Maxwell Football Club Awards in March 2024.