Hughes, Walker named to Bednarik Award watch list

PHILADELPHIA – Fresno State defensive back Juju Hughes and linebacker Mykal Walker were both named to the watch list for the 25th annual Chuck Bednarik Award, announced by the Maxwell Football Club on Monday. The award has recognized the collegiate defensive player of the year since 1995, last honoring Kentucky's Josh Allen in 2018.

The Bulldog duo represents one of 17 teams in the nation to have two individuals named to the 2019 watch list and is the only California team to have the distinction. Those squads joining Fresno State are Alabama, Clemson, Colorado, Florida, LSU, Miami, Michigan, Michigan State, Mississippi State, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Penn State, Syracuse, TCU, Utah and Utah State. In total, 80 individuals from 63 teams were named to the Bednarik watch list.

For the complete list, visit www.maxwellfootballclub.org.

A glance at Hughes:

A strong safety entering senior season; started 14 of 14 games in 2018 – has started 28 consecutive games.
Named an All-Mountain West second team selection as a junior.
Recorded four interceptions in 2018, tying for the Mountain West lead.
Tied for the fifth-most passes defended in the MW with 12 in 2018.
Made 78 tackles in 2018.
Enters 2019 with Fresno State's most game experience having played in 40 career games.

A glance at Walker:

A linebacker entering senior season; started 14 of 14 games in his first season on the field for Fresno State in 2018 – transferred from Azusa Pacific.
Named an All-Mountain West first team selection as a junior playing defensive end.
Shifted to middle linebacker from defensive end during the spring of 2019.
Named the Defensive MVP of the 2018 Mountain West Championship game producing 12 tackles, 2.5 TFLs, 1.5 sacks and a fumble recovery in the win.
In 2018, owned the second-most tackles on the team with 87 behind MW Defensive Player of the Year Jeff Allison.
Led all defensive linemen in the Mountain West in tackles per game in 2018, averaging 6.1 per game.

Flashback
A year ago, Jeff Allison (New York Jets) was named Fresno State's first Bednarik watch list nominee since Derron Smith (Minnesota Vikings) in 2014.

Maxwell Football Club
In addition to the Bednarik, the Maxwell Award watch list (America's College Player of the Year) was unveiled on Monday. The Bednarik and Maxwell Awards, of the Maxwell Football Club, are members of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. Founded in 1997, the NCFAA and its 25 awards now boast over 800 recipients, dating to 1935. Visit ncfaa.org to learn more about the association.

The Bednarik watch list is based on past performances and its selection partner, Pro Football Focus (PFF).

Semifinalists for the Maxwell and Bednarik Awards will be announced October 29, 2019, while the three finalists for each award will be unveiled November 25, 2019. The winners of the 2019 Maxwell and Bednarik Awards will be announced as part of the Home Depot College Football Awards Show held on December 12, 2019. The formal presentations of these awards will be made at the Maxwell Football Club Awards Gala hosted by Tropicana Hotel & Casino Atlantic City on March 13, 2020.

With the Bednarik and Maxwell Awards being the first, the members of the NCFAA are unveiling their preseason watch lists over a 12-day period in July. Seventeen of the association's 25 awards select a preseason watch list.

The following is the entire 2019 preseason watch list calendar:

Monday, July 15: Bednarik Award & Maxwell Award
Tuesday, July 16: Davey O'Brien Award
Wednesday, July 17: Doak Walker Award
Thursday, July 18: Biletnikoff Award
Friday, July 19: Mackey Award & Rimington Award
Monday, July 22: Thorpe Award & Butkus Award
Tuesday, July 23: Outland Trophy & Nagurski Award
Wednesday, July 24: Groza Award & Ray Guy Award
Thursday, July 25: Hornung Award & Wuerffel Trophy
Friday, July 26: Walter Camp Award

"Fresno State Athletics: The Pride of the Valley" – The Bulldog Foundation creates championship experiences for Fresno State student-athletes as they strive for excellence in the classroom, in competition, and in life. To become a BDF member, please call 559-278-7160.

Fresno State Athletics

Hughes, Walker named to Bednarik Award watch list

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Jeff Allison

Juju Hughes

Mykal Walker

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