Junior defensive end Ronnie Perkins was named to the 2020 Chuck Bednarik Award preseason watch list on Monday.
The Bednarik Award honors the best defensive player in the country each season. Teddy Lehman (2003) is the only Sooner to take home the award in its 25-year history.
Perkins has been an immediate impact on the defense since he arrived, racking up 5 sacks and 37 tackles in his true freshman season.
He followed that up with 6 sacks, 38 tackles and a forced fumble last year.
While there’s little doubt that Perkins’ performance will live up to the hype this season, his chances to win the award depend largely on how many games he gets to play.
Perkins, alongside RB Rhamondre Stevenson and WR Trejan Bridges, was suspended in December following a failed drug test.
After sitting out the peach bowl, the trio was expected to miss the first five games of 2020.
Oklahoma has since submitted an appeal which has yet to be processed. At the moment, the status of the suspension is still up in the air.
Perkins was a four-star recruit and the top player out of Missouri per 247Sports, who listed him as the No. 66 player in his class (No. 5 weak-side defensive end).
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