Kansas State senior safety Dante Barnett and junior linebacker Elijah Lee were among 90 players nationally to earn a spot on the watch list for the 2016 Bednarik Award.
The award is presented annually to the college defensive players of the year.
The inclusion of the Wildcat duo marks the first time since the 2012 season K-State has multiple candidates for the award, while the Wildcats have had seven candidates in the last five years. It marks the second-straight year Barnett has earned a spot on the watch list, while Lee is a first-time honoree.
After suffering a season-ending injury in the 2015 season opener, Barnett received a second chance on his senior season.