Madison, Wis. – University of Wisconsin senior safety John Torchio has been named one of 20 semifinalists for the 2022 Chuck Bednarik Award, presented annually to college football’s defensive player of the year. The Maxwell Football Club made the announcement Tuesday.
The winner of the Bednarik award will be announced on December 8 as part of the ESPN College Football Awards show.
Torchio, a native of Lafayette, California, leads the nation in interceptions (5) and has also registered 41 tackles, five pass deflections, three pressures, one sack, and two touchdowns on the season.
The Jewelry Theif, as nicknamed by his teammates, is currently the highest-graded player on the Wisconsin Badgers defense (87.1) and has the third-highest coverage grade in the country among safeties (90.1), according to Pro Football Focus.
Just Jewelry Thief things 💎
— Wisconsin Football (@BadgerFootball) November 1, 2022
🔗: https://t.co/7UGi7AmghX pic.twitter.com/o0ytze7dC7
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