33 SEC players named to Maxwell, Bednarik preseason watch lists

With the 2016 college football season just around the corner, preseason award watch lists will be announced in the coming days.

On Tuesday morning, the Maxwell Award, given to the best college player in America, and the Bednarik Award, given to the nation’s best defensive player, announced their preseason watch lists.

The nine SEC players named to the Maxwell Award watch list are:

• Nick Chubb, RB, Georgia
• Josh Dobbs, QB, Tennessee
• Leonard Fournette, RB, LSU
• O.J. Howard, TE, Alabama
• Jalen Hurd, RB, Tennessee
• Chad Kelly, QB, Ole Miss
• Christian Kirk, WR, Texas A&M
• Trevor Knight, QB, Texas A&M
• Calvin Ridley, WR, Alabama

Not surprisingly, the SEC had a few more players included on the Bednarik Award watch list. A total of 24 SEC standouts will be considered for the trophy given annually to the best defensive player in college football:

• Jamal Adams, S, LSU
• Jonathan Allen, DE, Alabama
• Derek Barnett, DE, Tennessee
• Kendell Beckwith, LB, LSU
• Tony Conner, S, Ole Miss
• Zach Cunningham, LB, Vanderbilt
• Jarrad Davis, LB, Florida
• Johnathan Ford, DB, Auburn
• Reuben Foster, LB, Alabama
• Myles Garrett, DE, Texas A&M
• Daeshon Hall, DE, Texas A&M
• Charles Harris, DE, Missouri
• Marquis Haynes, DE, Ole Miss
• Eddie Jackson, S, Alabama
• Carl Lawson, DE, Auburn
• Marcus Maye, S, Florida
• Jalen Reeves-Maybin, LB, Tennessee
• Dominick Sanders, S, Georgia
• Cameron Sutton, CB, Tennessee
• Jalen Tabor, CB, Florida
• Armani Watts, S, Texas A&M
• Tre’Davious White, CB, LSU
• Tim Williams, LB, Alabama
• Deatrich Wise, DE, Arkansas

Garrett and Beckwith were finalists for the Bednarik Award in 2015, which was won by Tyler Matakevich of Temple.

Semifinalists for the two awards will be announced on Oct. 31 and finalists will be named on Nov. 21. The winners will be announced at the Home Depot College Football Awards Show on Dec. 8.

Adam Spencer

Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.