PHILADELPHIA - Four Mid-American Conference football student-athletes were named to the watch list for the 31st Chuck Bednarik Award, as announced by the Maxwell Football Club. Buffalo teammates Red Murdock and Kobe Stewart as well as Ohio's DJ Walker and Toledo's Avery Smith were selected to the award's watch list, which is presented annually to college football's top defensive player.
Murdock was an All-MAC First Team selection in 2024 after ranking second in the nation in tackles with 156 and adding 16.5 tackles for loss, two sacks and an interception. His seven forced fumbles were a school record and ranked first in the nation. Along with being named All-MAC, Murdock was also an Academic All-MAC and Academic All-District selection.
It is the third preseason watch list for Murdock who is also on the watch list for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and the Allstate Wuerffel Trophy.
Stewart was a second-team All-MAC selection in 2024 after leading the Mid-American Conference in sacks with 9.5. It was one sack shy of Khalil Mack's UB FBS-era record of 10.5 sacks set in 2013. Stewart added 40 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
A Second-Team All-MAC selection a season ago, Smith totaled 58 tackles, 16 passes defended, 14 pass breakups and two interceptions. He had the game-winning pass breakup at Eastern Michigan on the final play in a 29-28 thriller, and tied a career high with eight tackles and broke up a pass in Toledo's six-overtime GameAbove Sports Bowl victory over Pitt. He was second in the FBS in PBUs and second in the MAC in passes defended.
Walker was a staple in the 2024 defense, starting in all 14 games. He amassed 53 total tackles, including 34 solo stops and seven tackles for loss. Walker logged the second-most pass breakups (7) and recorded his first collegiate interception against Akron (Sept. 28, 2024). Following the regular season, Walker was named All-MAC Second Team.
The Bednarik Award has been given to the College Defensive Player of the Year since 1995. It is named in honor of Chuck Bednarik, an NFL Hall of Fame linebacker and center who played his entire career with the Philadelphia Eagles. Known as one of the last “60-minute men” for playing both offense and defense, Bednarik exemplified toughness, excellence, and leadership on the field—values that the award bearing his name seeks to recognize in today’s top defensive players.
Semifinalists for the Bednarik Award will be announced November 11, 2025, while the three finalists for the Bednarik Award will be unveiled November 25, 2025. The winner of the 31
st Bednarik Award will be announced as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show held on December 11, 2025. The formal presentations of the Bednarik Award will be made at the Maxwell Football Club Awards on Friday, March 13, 2026, in Atlanta, Georgia.
MACtion on Preseason Watch Lists
Maxwell Award
Al-Jay Henderson, Buffalo
Parker Navarro, Ohio
Tucker Gleason, Toledo
Jalen Buckley, Western Michigan
Bronko Nagurski
Red Murdock, Buffalo
Jim Thorpe Award
Tank Pearson, Ohio
DJ Walker, Ohio
Avery Smith, Toledo
Paul Hornung Award
Ty Harding, UMass
Trayvon Rudolph, Toledo
Victor Snow, Buffalo
Wuerffel Trophy Watch List
Keylen Davis, Akron
Kiael Kelly, Ball State
Drew Pyne, Bowling Green
Red Murdock, Buffalo
Michael Heldman, Central MIchigan
Jefferson Adam, Eastern Michigan
Mattheus Carroll, Kent State
Brock Taylor, UMass
Abiathar Curry, Northern Illinois
Matt Hofer, Toledo
Tyson Lee, Western Michigan
Lou Groza Award
Dom Dzioban, Miami
Ray Guy Award
John Henderson, Bowling Green
Walter Camp Player of the Year
Dequan Finn, Miami
Al-Jay Henderson, Buffalo
Parker Navarro, Ohio
Biletnikoff Award
Junior Vandeross III, Toledo
Davey O'Brien Award
Parker Navarro, Ohio
Tucker Gleason, Toledo
John Mackey Award
Mason Williams, Ohio
Blake Bosma, Western Michigan
Chuck Bednarik Award
Red Murdock, Buffalo
Kobe Stewart, Buffalo
DJ Walker, Ohio
Avery Smith, Toledo
