The Maxwell Football Club announced today that Clemson cornerback Ashton Hampton has been named as one of 18 semifinalists for the Chuck Bednarik Award, presented annually to the nation's most outstanding defensive player. Hampton, the reigning ACC Defensive Back of the Week, presently leads all power conference players this season with 14 passes defended, including two interceptions and 12 pass breakups.
More information from the Maxwell Football Club is included below.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - Maxwell Football Club Executive Director, Mark Wolpert, announced the 2026 semifinalists for the 90th Maxwell Award for the Collegiate Player of the Year and the 32nd Chuck Bednarik Award for the Outstanding Defensive Player of the Year. The lists include a field of 18 candidates for each award as selected by the Maxwell Football Club National Selection Committee.
A strong field of Maxwell Award semifinalists includes representatives from 5 conferences and 1 independent, with the SEC boasting 5 candidates and the Big 12 and ACC notching 4 spots each. This class of candidates features 12 quarterbacks, 3 running backs and 3 wide receivers. On the defensive side of the ball, the field of contenders is comprised of fresh faces with 4 conferences and 1 independent represented, led by 7 student-athletes from the SEC and 5 from the Big Ten. All semifinalists are listed in alphabetical order by school with class year and position noted.
2026 Maxwell Award Semifinalists
QB Keelon Russell, Alabama (RS Freshman)
QB Noah Fifita, Arizona (Senior)
RB Dylan Riley, Boise State (Junior)
RB Nate Sheppard, Duke (Sophomore)
QB Gunner Stockton, Georgia (Senior)
QB Conner Weigman, Houston (Senior)
WR Charlie Becker, Indiana (Junior)
QB Darian Mensah, Miami (Junior)
WR Malachi Toney, Miami (Sophomore)
QB CJ Carr, Notre Dame (Junior)
WR Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State (Junior)
QB Drew Mestemaker, Oklahoma State (Sophomore)
QB Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss (Senior)
QB LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina (Junior)
RB DeSean Bishop, Tennessee (Junior)
QB Jayden Maiava, USC (Senior)
QB Devon Dampier, Utah (Senior)
QB Gio Lopez, Wake Forest (Junior)
2026 Chuck Bednarik Award Semifinalists
LB Luke Metz, Alabama (Sophomore)
DB Kingston Lopa, Cal (Sophomore)
CB Ashton Hampton, Clemson (Junior)
LB Gideon Lampron, Colorado (Senior)
DB KJ Bolden, Georgia (Junior)
LB Chris Cole, Georgia (Junior)
DL Tobi Osunsanmi, Indiana (Senior)
LB Cam Buffington, Iowa (Junior)
DE Princewill Umanmielen, LSU (Senior)
CB Kelley Jones, Mississippi State (Senior)
DT Xavier Lewis, North Carolina (Sophomore)
CB Leonard Moore, Notre Dame (Junior)
DL Xavier Gilliam, Tennessee (Sophomore)
ED Colin Simmons, Texas (Junior)
DL AJ Holmes Jr., Texas Tech (Senior)
LB Sammy Omosigho, UCLA (Senior)
LB Mason Posa, Wisconsin (Sophomore)
LB Cooper Catalano, Wisconsin (Sophomore)
Eligible voters include Maxwell Football Club members, NCAA head football coaches, sports information directors and selected national media.
The Maxwell Football Club has once again partnered with Phil Steele Publications as selection committee partners. Phil Steele’s College Football Preview is generally recognized as the most complete preseason magazine in the game.
Three finalists for the Maxwell Award will be unveiled November 24, 2026. The winner of the 90th Maxwell Award and 32nd Bednarik Award will be announced as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show held on December 11, 2026. The formal presentations of the Maxwell Award will be made at the Maxwell Football Club Awards on Saturday March 13, 2027, at the Coca Cola Roxy Theater in Atlanta, Georgia. Tickets for the 90th Maxwell Awards Gala are on sale now at https://maxwellfootballclub.org/gala-tickets.