Award Timeline and Significance
Anthony Smith, a defensive lineman who starred for the University of Minnesota in the 2025 season, has earned a spot on the watch list for the Chuck Bednarik Award, given each year to the most outstanding defensive player in college football.
The honor is administered by the Maxwell Football Club, which works with Phil Steele Publications to assemble the selection committee and evaluate the candidates throughout the year.
Smith’s impact was immediate, as he topped the Big Ten with 12.5 sacks and added 17.5 tackles for loss, numbers that helped him finish the season among the conference’s most feared pass rushers.
His career totals now stand at 19.5 sacks and 31.0 tackles for loss, drawing him close to Minnesota’s all‑time records held by Karon Riley and Willie VanDeSteeg, who posted 29.0 career sacks and 43.5 tackles for loss respectively.
The award’s progression is tightly scheduled: semifinalists will be revealed on November 10, 2026, and the three finalists will be announced on November 24, 2026, with the champion to be crowned at the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show on December 10, 2026.
The formal presentations of the Bednarik Award, along with other Maxwell honors, are set for March 13, 2027, at the Coca‑Cola Roxy Theater in Atlanta, Georgia, bringing the ceremony back to the Southeast for the first time in years.
Phil Steele’s preseason magazine remains the most comprehensive guide for fans and analysts, underscoring the influence of the publications that help shape the award’s narrative.