The Alabama defense lost four second-round draft picks this year, but the unit continues to reload with top talent and high expectations. Four Crimson Tide defenders were named to the Bednarik Award watch list on Tuesday, the most of any school. Defensive end Jonathan Allen, who strongly considered entering the 2016 NFL Draft as an underclassman, was selected to the list along with linebackers Reuben Foster and Tim Williams, and safety Eddie Jackson.
The Bednarik Award is presented each year to the nation's top defensive player. It's been won the last two years by players who weren't selected in the NFL draft until the seventh round: Temple LB Tyler Matakevich and Arizona's Scooby Wright. They were chosen in the 2016 draft's final round by the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns, respectively. Former first-round pick Aaron Donald won the award the previous year in 2013.
LSU, Florida, Oklahoma, TCU, Clemson and Texas A&M each had three defenders named to the watch list, which included 90 players.
Semifinalists for the award will be announced Oct. 31, and the names of three finalists will be released on Nov. 21. The winner will be announced on Dec. 8.
Watch lists for other awards will be released this month as follows:
July 5: Bednarik Award / Maxwell Award
July 6: Mackey Award / Rimington Trophy
July 7: Lou Groza Award / Ray Guy Award
July 8: Bronko Nagurski Trophy / Outland Trophy
July 11: Jim Thorpe Award
July 12: Butkus Award
July 13: Biletnikoff Award / Wuerffel Trophy
July 14: Davey O'Brien Award / Doak Walker Award
July 15: Walter Camp Award / Paul Hornung Award
2016 Bednarik Award watch list
Jamal Adams, S, LSU
Jonathan Allen, DE, Alabama
Chidobe Awuzie, CB, Colorado
Budda Baker, S, Washington
Dante Barnett, S, Kansas State
Derek Barnett, DE, Tennessee
Kendell Beckwith, LB, LSU
Vince Biegel, LB, Wisconsin
Quin Blanding, S, Virginia
Ben Boulware, LB, Clemson
Riley Bullough, LB, Michigan State
Jason Cabinda, LB, Penn State
Josh Carraway, DE, TCU
Sean Chandler, CB, Temple
Bradley Chubb, DE, N.C. State
Chuck Clark, FS, Virginia Tech
Tony Conner, S, Ole Miss
Zach Cunningham, LB, Vanderbilt
Jarrad Davis, LB, Florida
DeVon Edwards, S, Duke
Jordan Evans, LB, Oklahoma
Devonte Fields, LB Louisville
Salamo Fiso, LB, Arizona State
Kylie Fitts, DE, Utah
Johnathan Ford, DB, Auburn
Reuben Foster, LB, Alabama
Myles Garrett, DE, Texas A&M
Nate Gerry, S, Nebraska
Daeshon Hall, DE, Texas A&M
Darius Hamilton, DT, Rutgers
Charles Harris, DE, Missouri
Marquis Haynes, DE, Ole Miss
Trey Hendrickson, DE, Florida Atlantic
Nate Holley, S, Kent State
Travin Howard, LB, TCU
Eddie Jackson, S, Alabama
Adoree' Jackson, CB, USC
Derwin James, S, Florida State
Malik Jefferson, LB, Texas
Sidney Jones, CB, Washington
Damontae Kazee, CB, San Diego State
Keith Kelsey, LB, Louisville
Desmond King, CB, Iowa
Micah Kiser, LB, Virginia
Carl Lawson, DE, Auburn
Elijah Lee, LB, Kansas State
Jourdan Lewis, CB, Michigan
Tyquan Lewis, DE, Ohio State
William Likely, CB, Maryland
Lowell Lotulelei, DT, Utah
Paul Magloire, S, Arizona
Marcus Maye, S, Florida
Malik McDowell, DL, Michigan State
James McFarland, DE, TCU
Raekwon McMillan, LB, Ohio State
Matt Milano, LB, Boston College
Calvin Munson, LB, San Diego State
Deatrick Nichols, CB, South Florida
Noble Nwachukwu, DE, West Virginia
Larry Ogunjobi, DT, Charlotte
Jabrill Peppers, S, Michigan
Ejuan Price, DE, Pittsburgh
Jalen Reeves-Maybin, LB, Tennessee
Jake Replogle, DT, Purdue
Isaac Rochell, DT, Notre Dame
Ja'Von Rolland-Jones, DE, Arkansas State
Dominick Sanders, S, Georgia
Tanzel Smart, DT, Tulane
Dawuane Smoot, DE, Illinois
Jordan Sterns, S, Oklahoma State
Jamar Summers, CB, Connecticut
Cameron Sutton, CB, Tennessee
Jalen Tabor, CB, Florida
Cordrea Tankersley, CB, Clemson
Steven Taylor, LB, Houston
Jordan Thomas, CB, Oklahoma
Solomon Thomas, DE, Stanford
Austin Valdez, LB, Bowling Green
Eddie Vanderdoes, DT, UCLA
DeMarcus Walker, DE, Florida State
Anthony Walker, LB, Northwestern
Charles Walker, DT, Oklahoma
Carlos Watkins, DT, Clemson
Armani Watts, S, Texas A&M
Tre'Davious White, CB, LSU
Jordan Whitehead, S, Pittsburgh
Tim Williams, LB, Alabama
Deatrich Wise, DE, Arkansas
Chris Wormley, DE, Michigan
Taylor Young, LB, Baylor
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