The Maxwell Football Club announced today that Clemson running back Travis Etienne has been named as one of 20 semifinalists for the 2019 Maxwell Award and Clemson linebacker Isaiah Simmons has been named as one of 20 semifinalists for the 2019 Bednarik Award. Additional information from the Maxwell Football Club is included below.
PHILADELPHIA — Maxwell Football Club President, Mark Dianno, announced the 2019 semifinalists for the 83rd Maxwell Award for the Collegiate Player of the Year and the 25th Chuck Bednarik Award for the Outstanding Defensive Player of the Year. The respective lists include a field of 20 candidates for the Maxwell and Bednarik Awards as selected by the Maxwell Football Club National Selection Committee. The Maxwell Football Club has once again teamed with Pro Football Focus (PFF) and Phil Steele Publications as selection committee partners. PFF provides detailed statistical and performance based assessments to selection committee staff, and several senior PFF analysts have been added to the selection committee and have participated in the process. Phil Steele’s Football Guide is generally recognized as the most complete football reference in the country.
A strong field of Maxwell Award semifinalists includes a representative from every Power Five conference as well as one student-athlete from a Group of Five school. The 2018 Maxwell Award winner Tua Tagovailoa (Alabama) leads an impressive list of returnees which includes Justin Herbert (Oregon), Jonathan Taylor (Wisconsin), Zack Moss (Utah), AJ Dillon (Boston College) and Travis Etienne (Clemson).
On the defensive side of the ball, the field of contenders is comprised of fresh faces, all of whom are making their debuts as Bednarik Award semifinalists. Six different conferences are represented, led by six student-athletes from the SEC and five from the Big Ten.
Last season, the Maxwell Award was presented to Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and the Bednarik Award went to Kentucky defensive end Josh Allen. Tagovailoa has returned for his junior season at Alabama and has led the Crimson Tide to an 8-0 record this season. Allen was a first round draft pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars and has posted 7 sacks thus far during his rookie campaign.
2019 MAXWELL AWARD SEMIFINALISTS
WR Jerry Jeudy, AlabamaQB Tua Tagovailoa, AlabamaDT Derrick Brown, AuburnQB Charlie Brewer, BaylorRB AJ Dillon, Boston CollegeRB Travis Etienne, ClemsonRB Cam Akers, Florida StateRB D’Andre Swift, GeorgiaQB Joe Burrow, LSUQB Justin Fields, Ohio StateDE Chase Young, Ohio StateQB Jalen Hurts, OklahomaWR CeeDee Lamb, OklahomaRB Chuba Hubbard, Oklahoma StateQB Justin Herbert, OregonWR KJ Hamler, Penn StateQB Shane Buechele, SMUQB Sam Ehlinger, TexasRB Zack Moss, UtahRB Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin
2019 CHUCK BEDNARIK AWARD SEMIFINALISTS
S Xavier McKinney, AlabamaDT Derrick Brown, AuburnDE Curtis Weaver , Boise StateLB Evan Weaver, CalLB Isaiah Simmons, ClemsonNG Marvin Wilson, Florida StateS J.R. Reed, GeorgiaCB Derek Stingley, LSUCB Jeffrey Okudah, Ohio StateDE Chase Young, Ohio StateDT Neville Gallimore, OklahomaLB Kenneth Murray, OklahomaDE Yetur Gross-Matos, Penn StateLB Micah Parsons, Penn StateDT Javon Kinlaw, South CarolinaDL Justin Madubuike, Texas A&MLB Jordyn Brooks, Texas TechDE Bradlee Anae, UtahLB David Woodward, Utah StateDE Zack Baun, Wisconsin
Semifinalist voting for both of the collegiate awards presented by the Maxwell Football Club will begin on Wednesday Oct. 30 and will close on Nov. 24. Three finalists for each award will be announced on Nov. 25 and a second round of voting will take place at that time. Eligible voters include Maxwell Football Club members, NCAA head football coaches, sports information directors and selected national media. All semifinalists are listed in alphabetical order by school with the player’s school, position and class designated.
The winners of the 83rd Maxwell Award and the 25th Chuck Bednarik Award will be announced as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show presented by Gildanwhich will be broadcast live on ESPN on Dec. 12, 2019. The formal presentation of these awards will be made at the Maxwell Football Club’s Awards Dinner on Friday, March 6, 2020.
