Two Alabama defenders named to the Bednarik Award watch list

Bednarik Award watch list includes two Alabama defenders.

While Nick Saban was the head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide he assembled some of the greatest defenses college football has ever seen. There was almost a certain level of fear and mystique playing against those teams.

Now, the Crimson Tide may be under new leadership in head coach Kalen DeBoer but don’t think for a second that means that the standard for defense is going to change.

There will be some difficulties, especially on the defensive side of the ball replacing guys like Dallas Turner, Terrion Arnold, Kool-Aid McKinstry and Chris Braswell who were all selected in the first two rounds of the 2024 NFL draft. The Alabama roster was also hit pretty hard by the transfer portal when Saban announced his retirement.

Despite the changes, there is still a ton of talent on this Alabama roster. Malachi Moore and Deontae Lawson will be the veteran leaders on this team, and they were also named to the preseason watch list for the Bednarik Award.

The Bednarik Award has been presented annually to the best defensive player in college football dating back to 1995 when Pat Fitzgerald of Northwestern won the award. Only two members of the Crimson Tide have ever won it in Jonathan Allen (2016) and Will Anderson (2022). North Carolina State’s Payton Wilson was the winner a season ago.

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