CLEMSON, S.C. – The Maxwell Football Club today announced watch lists for the 82nd annual Maxwell Award and the 24th annual Chuck Bednarik Award, with three members of the Clemson football program appearing on each respective list.
Quarterback Kelly Bryant, running back Travis Etienne and defensive lineman Christian Wilkins all earned selections on the watch list for the Maxwell Award, given annually since 1937 to the top player in college football. In addition, Wilkins as well as defensive linemen Clelin Ferrell and Dexter Lawrence all garnered watch list selections for the Bednarik Award, presented each year since 1995 to college football’s top defensive player.
Wilkins earned inclusion on both lists after becoming the program’s first multi-year first-team All-American since Vic Beasley in 2013-14. He collected the Willis Award from the Columbus (Ohio) Touchdown Club as the nation’s top defensive lineman in 2017 and was named as a finalist for the Bronco Nagurski Award in 2016.
Ferrell and Lawrence join Wilkins on the Bednarik Award Watch List after each collecting various honors of their own in 2017. Ferrell earned first-team All-American honors from the Associated Press, while Lawrence collected second-team All-American status from Rivals.
Bryant earned a 2018 Maxwell Award Watch List selection following a 2017 campaign in which he helped guide the Tigers to 12 wins as the starting quarterback, including a record six wins over top 25 teams. Etienne’s selection follows a freshman season in which his 7.16 yards-per-carry average ranked fourth-best in Clemson history and the best since C.J. Spiller’s 7.27-yard average in 2006.
