Trio of Penn State players named to Bednarik Award Watch list
Penn State’s defense is potentially one of the top units in the country in 2023, and on Monday three Nittany Lions landed on the Chuck Bednarik Award watch list for the nation’s top defensive player. Penn State joined Clemson as the only two programs to have three players on the list.
Junior cornerback Kalen King, junior defensive end Chop Robinson and sophomore linebacker Abdul Carter were honored as watch list additions. All three also made the Bronco Nagurski Award Watch List on Aug. 1. Carter is also a Butkus Award watch list member and King is up for the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation’s top defensive back.
Penn State defenders all coming off strong 2022 seasons
Penn State’s top cover cornerback last season, Kalen King was a second-team All-American by the Walter Camp Foundation last year, although he was just a third-team All-Big Ten selection as a sophomore. King led the Big Ten in passes defended with 21 and finished the year with 30 tackles, three tackles for loss and three interceptions.
Chop Robinson made a big first impression for Penn State following a transfer from Maryland. While he didn’t start a game for the Nittany Lions, he was named the team’s Outstanding Defensive Lineman following the season. Robinson finished 2022 with 26 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks. He capped those numbers with 1.5 sacks against Utah in the Rose Bowl in January.
Abdul Carter also made a splash in his first season on campus last year. He started six games as a true freshman at linebacker and earned second-team All-Big Ten honors to go along with making several Freshman All-American teams. He racked up 56 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks last fall. Carter was a finalist for the Maxwell Football Club’s Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year award.
Nittany Lions are no stranger to the Bednarik Award
Penn State has had three players recognized for the award since its inception in 1995. LaVar Arrington won the award in 1999. Paul Posluszny won back-to-back years in 2005-2006 and Dan Connor won in 2007. Alabama’s Will Anderson won the 2022 version of the award.
The Bednarik Award will announce its semifinalists on November 13 and three finalists will be unveiled on November 28. The winner will be announced on The Home Depot College Football Awards on Dec. 7.
Penn State watch list rundown
The trio recognized on Monday are hardly the only Penn State players who have made a watch list this month. Here’s the full rundown as of Aug. 12:
Running backs Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton: Doak Walker Award, given to the nation’s best running backLinebackerAbdul Carter: Butkus Award (best linebacker), Lott IMPACT Trophy (most impactful player), Bronko Nagurski Award (nation’s top defender)
Wide receiver Dante Cephas: Biletnikoff Award (best receiver)
Defensive tackle Dvon Ellies: Allstate AFCA Good Works Team, Wuerffel Trophy (both recognize off-field contributions to society and on-field sportsmanship.
Offensive tackle Olumuyiwa Fashanu: Outland Trophy (best offensive lineman)
Linebacker Curtis Jacobs: Butkus Award
Tight end Theo Johnson: Mackey Award (best tight end)
Cornerback Kalen King: Jim Thorpe Award, Lott IMPACT Trophy, Bronko Nagurski Award, Chuck Bednarik Award
Defensive end Chop Robinson: Bronko Nagurski Award, Chuck Bednarik Award
Running backNicholas Singleton: Doak Walker Award, Maxwell Award, Paul Hornung Award (top returner)
Punter Riley Thompson: Ray Guy Award (best punter)
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