Xavian Sorey Jr. named to Bednarik Award preseason watch list
Arkansas senior linebacker Xavian Sorey Jr. earned his second preseason hardware honor when he was selected to the Chuck Bednarik Award watch list, the Maxwell Football Club announced on Monday.
The Bednarik Award has been given annually to college football’s Defensive Player of the Year since 1995. Sorey was also named to the Butkus Award watch list.
Sorey is in his second year with the Razorbacks after he transferred from Georgia ahead of last season. He started all 13 games in 2024 and led the team with 99 total tackles and 9.5 tackles for loss.
The Campbellton (Fla.) native was also named the Defensive Most Outstanding Player from last year’s Liberty Bowl win over Texas Tech. In that game, which Arkansas won 39-26, he had 10 tackles and 0.5 tackles for loss.
Heading into his final season with the Razorbacks, Sorey said at SEC Media Days earlier last month that he is taking on a bigger leadership role for an Arkansas defense that has a lot of new faces.
“I lead by example, but since the spring I’ve been better about being vocal,” Sorey said. “More comfortable, I would say. When you know your teammates well, you can, not get on them, but you can talk to them and do things like that.”
Semifinalists for the Bednarik Award will be announced on Nov. 11, 2025, while the three finalists for the Bednarik Award will be unveiled on Nov. 25, 2025. The winner of the 31st Bednarik Award will be announced as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show held on Dec. 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.
