PHILADELPHIA — The Maxwell Football Club announced Oregon defensive end Brandon Dorlus as one of 85 players on the preseason watch list for the Chuck Bednarik Award on Monday. In its 29th year, the Bednarik Award is presented annually to the outstanding defensive player in college football.
It is the second preseason watch list for Dorlus, who was also on the Bronko Nagurski Trophy watch list earlier this month. The Nagurski Trophy is also given to the best defensive player in the nation.
Semifinalists for the Chuck Bednarik Award will be announced on Nov. 13, and the three finalists will be unveiled on Nov. 28. The winner of the Chuck Bednarik Award will be announced as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show held on Dec. 7. The formal presentations of the Chuck Bednarik Award will be made at the Maxwell Football Club Awards in March 2024.
In total, 13 Oregon football players have been named to the preseason watch lists for 13 different national awards. The Ducks – who came in at No. 15 in the preseason Associated Press rankings on Monday – will open their 2023 season against Portland State on Sept. 2 in Autzen Stadium (12 p.m. PT).
Brandon Dorlus – Chuck Bednarik Award Preseason Watch List» All-Pac-12 second team selection in 2022; first team in 2021.
» Preseason all-Pac-12 first-team honoree entering 2023.
» Started all 13 games last season while playing 651 defensive snaps.
» Led Oregon with a career-high 9.5 tackles for loss, and matched career-high with 2.5 sacks.
» Pac-12 Defensive Lineman of the Week after Oregon’s wins over BYU and Stanford.
» Earned a solid 75.0 overall defensive grade from Pro Football Focus.
» Credited by PFF with 40 QB hurries, tied for seventh-most among all FBS defenders.
» 46 total pressures in 2022 ranked sixth among Pac-12 defenders, according to PFF.
Ducks on 2023 Preseason Watch ListsMaxwell Award – QB Bo NixOutland Trophy – OL Josh Conerly Jr.Bronko Nagurski Trophy – DE Brandon Dorlus, DB Evan Williams
Wuerffel Trophy – DB Trikweze Bridges
Paul Hornung Award – WR Kris Hutson
Paul Mackey Award – TE Terrance Ferguson
Rimington Trophy – OL Jackson Powers-Johnson
Biletnikoff Award – WR Troy Franklin, WR Tez Johnson
Davey O’Brien Award – QB Bo Nix
Doak Walker Award – RB Bucky Irving, RB Noah Whittington
Butkus Award – ILB Jestin Jacobs
Walter Camp Player of the Year – QB Bo Nix, RB Bucky Irving
Chuck Bednarik Award – DE Brandon Dorlus
