Preseason Watch List Announcement
Kansas senior linebacker Trey Lathan has been selected for the Chuck Bednarik Award Preseason Watch List, a preseason honor that highlights the nation’s most dominant defensive players heading into the 2026 college football season.
Award Legacy and Upcoming Ceremony
The Chuck Bednarik Award, named after the legendary Philadelphia Eagles hard‑hitting linebacker, has become a benchmark for defensive excellence in the NCAA, celebrating players who combine raw physicality with leadership on the field.
Lathan’s inclusion follows a season already marked by personal milestones. He entered his redshirt senior year as Kansas’ leading tackler with 86 stops, 7.0 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and an interception. Over his career he has amassed 198 tackles, including 30 starts, and has been a consistent force in the Big 12, earning a Butkus Award Preseason Watch List nod earlier in 2026.
The award’s timeline adds further intrigue. Semifinalists will be revealed on November 10, 2026, with the final three announced on November 24. The ultimate winner will be crowned at the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show on December 10, 2026, and the formal presentations will take place on March 13, 2027, at the Coca‑Cola Roxy Theater in Atlanta, Georgia.
Last year’s champion, Jacob Rodriguez of Texas Tech, was selected second overall by the Miami Dolphins in the 2025 NFL Draft, underscoring the award’s role as a springboard to professional prominence.