Five Tigers named to Maxwell, Bednarik watch lists
The Maxwell Football Club announced today that Clemson running back Travis Etienne, quarterback Trevor Lawrence and wide receiver Justyn Ross have been named to the Maxwell Award watch list, while linebacker Isaiah Simmons and defensive end Xavier Thomas have been named to the watch list for the Chuck Bednarik Award. Full watch lists and additional information from the Maxwell Football Club are included below.
The Maxwell Award, named in honor of Robert W. “Tiny” Maxwell, has been given to America’s College Player of the Year since 1937. Maxwell’s contributions to the game of football were extensive, including time as a player, a sportswriter and an official. The Bednarik Award has been presented to the College Defensive Player of the Year since 1995. Chuck Bednarik, former standout at Penn and with the Philadelphia Eagles, is a member of both the College Football Hall of Fame’s Class of ’69 and the NFL Hall of Fame’s Class of ’67.
The watch lists will once again incorporate a broad spectrum of Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) programs and conferences from coast to coast. The reigning 2018 Maxwell Award winner Tua Tagovailoa (Alabama) heads the 2019 list with a slew of 2018 semifinalists returning; including AJ Dillon (Boston College), Travis Etienne (Clemson), Laviska Shenault (Colorado), D’Eriq King (Houston), Ian Book (Notre Dame), Justin Herbert (Oregon), Rondale Moore (Purdue), Zack Moss (Utah) and Jonathan Taylor (Wisconsin). Alabama and Clemson lead the pack with three Maxwell Award candidates each as the season approaches.
The Chuck Bednarik Award watch list features fresh faces, as 2018 winner Josh Allen (Kentucky) and finalists Quinnen Williams (Alabama) and Christian Wilkins (Clemson) have all moved on to the NFL. The lone returning semifinalist Grant Delpit (LSU) will be joined by a talented group of defensive candidates from conferences across America, with Alabama, Clemson, Colorado, Florida, Fresno State, LSU, Miami, Michigan, Michigan State, Mississippi State, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Penn State, Syracuse, TCU, Utah and Utah State all boasting multiple candidates.
Tagovailoa capped a brilliant 2018 season at Alabama by becoming the third Crimson Tide player to win the Maxwell Award, joining AJ McCarron (2013) and Derrick Henry (2015). Josh Allen, the 2018 Bednarik Award winner, was the first player from the University of Kentucky to win the award. Allen was chosen with the 7th overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars. Tagovailoa will return to Tuscaloosa for his junior season at Alabama.
