TEMPE, Ariz. – Arizona State junior Eno Benjamin and sophomore Merlin Robertson have earned a place on the Maxwell and Chuck Bednarik Award watch list, announced by the Maxwell Football Club Monday morning.
Benjamin, one of the Pac-12's most prolific offensive threats, adds to his already impressive list of preseason honors with Monday's Maxwell Award watch list nod. The Wylie, Texas, native will return to the field in 2019 following a historic sophomore campaign that saw him lead the Sun Devil rushing attack. He topped the Pac-12 with a school-record 1,642 rushing yards, carding triple-digit efforts on nine different occasions. Following the season, Eno was Arizona State's lone representative on the All-Conference First Team.
Robertson, a 2018 All-American, led the Sun Devils in tackles (77), tackles for loss (8.5) and sacks (5.0) and added an interception, two breakups, a fumble forced and a fumble recovered during his freshman campaign. He was the first freshman to lead the team in tackles since Jason Shivers in 2001 and the first freshman to lead the team in tackles for loss and sacks since Junior Onyeali in 2010.
The Maxwell Award, named in honor of Robert W. "Tiny" Maxwell, has been given to America's College Player of the Year since 1937. Maxwell's contributions to the game of football were extensive, including time as a player, a sportswriter and an official.
The Bednarik Award has been presented to the College Defensive Player of the Year since 1995. Chuck Bednarik, former standout at Penn and with the Philadelphia Eagles, is a member of both the College Football Hall of Fame's Class of '69 and the NFL Hall of Fame's Class of '67.
The watch lists once again incorporates a broad spectrum of Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) programs and conferences from coast to coast. The reigning 2018 Maxwell Award winner Tua Tagovailoa (Alabama) heads the 2019 list with a handful of 2018 semifinalists returning to the preseason list in 2019. The Pac-12 is well represented on both lists with 11 student-athletes earning a spot on the Maxwell Watch list, while 12 players were named to the Bednarik Award list.
Semifinalists for the Maxwell and Bednarik Awards will be announced October 29, 2019, while the three finalists for each award will be unveiled November 25, 2019. The winners of the 2019 Maxwell and Bednarik Awards will be announced as part of the Home Depot College Football Awards Show held on December 12, 2019. The formal presentations of these awards will be made at the Maxwell Football Club Awards Gala hosted by Tropicana Hotel & Casino Atlantic City on March 13, 2020.
Benjamin, one of the Pac-12's most prolific offensive threats, adds to his already impressive list of preseason honors with Monday's Maxwell Award watch list nod. The Wylie, Texas, native will return to the field in 2019 following a historic sophomore campaign that saw him lead the Sun Devil rushing attack. He topped the Pac-12 with a school-record 1,642 rushing yards, carding triple-digit efforts on nine different occasions. Following the season, Eno was Arizona State's lone representative on the All-Conference First Team.
Robertson, a 2018 All-American, led the Sun Devils in tackles (77), tackles for loss (8.5) and sacks (5.0) and added an interception, two breakups, a fumble forced and a fumble recovered during his freshman campaign. He was the first freshman to lead the team in tackles since Jason Shivers in 2001 and the first freshman to lead the team in tackles for loss and sacks since Junior Onyeali in 2010.
The Maxwell Award, named in honor of Robert W. "Tiny" Maxwell, has been given to America's College Player of the Year since 1937. Maxwell's contributions to the game of football were extensive, including time as a player, a sportswriter and an official.
The Bednarik Award has been presented to the College Defensive Player of the Year since 1995. Chuck Bednarik, former standout at Penn and with the Philadelphia Eagles, is a member of both the College Football Hall of Fame's Class of '69 and the NFL Hall of Fame's Class of '67.
The watch lists once again incorporates a broad spectrum of Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) programs and conferences from coast to coast. The reigning 2018 Maxwell Award winner Tua Tagovailoa (Alabama) heads the 2019 list with a handful of 2018 semifinalists returning to the preseason list in 2019. The Pac-12 is well represented on both lists with 11 student-athletes earning a spot on the Maxwell Watch list, while 12 players were named to the Bednarik Award list.
Semifinalists for the Maxwell and Bednarik Awards will be announced October 29, 2019, while the three finalists for each award will be unveiled November 25, 2019. The winners of the 2019 Maxwell and Bednarik Awards will be announced as part of the Home Depot College Football Awards Show held on December 12, 2019. The formal presentations of these awards will be made at the Maxwell Football Club Awards Gala hosted by Tropicana Hotel & Casino Atlantic City on March 13, 2020.