Texas Football’s Jaylan Ford named to Bednarik Award watch list
Texas senior linebacker Jaylan Ford has been named to the Chuck Bednarik Award watch list, the Maxwell Football Club announced on Monday. The Bednarik Award is presented annually to the most outstanding defensive player in college football.
Ford has played in 35 games with 15 starts heading into this fourth season on the Forty Acres.
The Frisco, Texas product had a breakout season in 2022, earning AP All-American accolades after leading the Longhorns with a career-high 119 tackles (61 solo), three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and four interceptions. He also tallied 10 tackles for loss, two sacks, two quarterback hurries and two pass breakups. His four interceptions tied the single-season interception record for a Texas linebacker, last accomplished by Derrick Johnson in 2002 and 2003.
All four of his interceptions led to Texas touchdowns, while his two fumble recoveries clinched victories over Kansas State and Iowa State. Ford’s 119 total tackles were the most in a season for a UT defender since 2014 (Jordan Hicks – 147; Steve Edmond – 131).
He was also a 2022 first-team All-Big 12 selection by both the Big 12 Conference and the Associated Press and named the Dave Campbell’s Texas Football Defensive Player of the Year. Ford is the first Longhorn to earn the Big 12 preseason Defensive Player of the Year accolade since Malik Jefferson was chosen ahead of the 2016 campaign.
Ford has also been recognized on the Lott IMPACT Award, Nagurski Trophy and Butkus Award preseason watch lists and tabbed the Big 12 Preseason Defensive Player of the Year and a Preseason All-Big 12 honoree by the conference’s media representatives, in addition to the Bednarik watch list today.
Semifinalists for the Chuck Bednarik Award will be announced November 13, 2023, while the three finalists for the Bednarik Award will be unveiled November 28, 2023. The winners of the 29th Chuck Bednarik Award will be announced as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show held on December 7, 2023. The formal presentations of the Chuck Bednarik Award will be made at the Maxwell Football Club Awards in March 2024.
