Western Kentucky Football senior DeAngelo Malone was tabbed among some of the highest-ranking defenders in the nation on the 2020 Bednarik Award Watch List announced Monday.
The 26th season for the award, the Chuck Bednarik Award is presented annually to the most outstanding defensive player in college football.
Malone is only one of seven from Conference USA out of 90 players on the initial list. Voters include NCAA head coaches and members of the Maxwell Football Club, along with sportswriters from across the country.
Last season Malone was the first Hilltopper to be voted C-USA Defensive Player of the Year since joining the league prior to 2014 and helped anchor the conference’s top scoring defense.