A couple of Georgia defenders were among 90 college football players named to the Bednarik Award watch list earlier this week. Fourth year junior cornerback Eric Stokes and senior safety Richard LeCounte made the list for an award that is annually given to the nation’s best defensive player.
Former UGA safety J.R. Reed was a semifinalist in 2019 and former linebacker Roquan Smith was a finalist in 2017. The award is named after Chuck Bednarik, a standout player at the University of Pennsylvania and for the Philadelphia Eagles. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1969 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1967.