Press Release October 10, 2018 – Philadelphia, PA Maxwell Football Club Expands Watch Lists
The Maxwell Football Club today announced the expansion of its 2018 Watch Lists for both the 82nd Maxwell Award and the 24th Chuck Bednarik Award.
The original lists were comprised of players selected based on their 2017 performances. As the 2018 season has progressed, the Club believes several additional players warrant attention because of their noteworthy play. Maxwell Award – Watch List Additions
Player Position School Year Eno Benjamin RB Arizona State Soph Trevor Lawrence QB Clemson Freshman Laviska Shenault WR Colorado Soph Cole McDonald QB Hawaii Soph Ian Book QB Notre Dame Junior Dwayne Haskins QB Ohio State Soph Miles Sanders RB Penn State Junior Sam Ehlinger QB Texas Soph Gardner Minshew QB Wash State Graduate Alex Hornibrook QB Wisconsin Junior
Chuck Bednarik Award – Watch List Additions
Player Position School Year Quinnen Williams DT Alabama R‐Soph Deionte Thompson S Alabama R‐Junior Jachai Polite DE Florida Junior D'Andre Walker OLB Georgia Senior Gerald Willis DT Miami R‐Senior Julian Love CB Notre Dame Junior Dre'Mont Jones DT Ohio State Junior Jordan Brailford DE Oklahoma State R‐Senior Ben Burr‐Kirven LB Washington Senior Byron Murphy CB Washington R‐Soph
The Maxwell Award has been presented to the outstanding collegiate football player in America since 1937 and is named in honor of Robert W. “Tiny” Maxwell. The Chuck Bednarik Award has been presented since 1995 and is named in honor of Chuck Bednarik. Mr. Bednarik is a member of both the College Football Hall of Fame 69’ and the NFL Hall of Fame 67’.
Baker Mayfield of Oklahoma was the recipient of the 81st Maxwell Award and Minkah Fitzpatrick of Alabama was named as the winner of the 23rd Chuck Bednarik Award. Mayfield is the starting quarterback for the Cleveland Browns and Fitzpatrick is a starting safety for the Miami Dolphins.
Semifinalists for the Maxwell and Bednarik Awards will be announced on October 29th and three finalists for each award will be announced November 19th. The winners of the 2018 Maxwell and Bednarik Awards will be announced as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show which will be held on December 6th at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta. The formal presentation of these awards will be made at the Maxwell Football Club Awards Gala hosted by Tropicana Hotel & Casino Atlantic City on March 8, 2019.
The watch list candidates have been chosen by the Maxwell Football Club’s Selection Committee and the Maxwell Club reserves the right to make additions and subtractions to these lists as the 2018 season unfolds. All members of the Maxwell Football Club, NCAA Sports Information Directors, Head Coaches and selected national media are eligible to vote for these awards.
The Maxwell & Bednarik Awards are members of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which includes college football's most prestigious awards. Founded in 1997, the NCFAA and its 23 awards boast 800 recipients, dating to 1935. Visit NCFAA.org to learn more about the NCFAA.