Cal's Nohl Williams a Semifinalist for Nation's Top Defensive Player Award

Bears cornerback Williams is one of 20 players who are candidates for the Chuck Bednarik Award

Cal cornerback Nohl Williams / Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Cal cornerback Nohl Williams is one of 20 players who were named semifinalists for the Chuck Bednarik Award for the nation’s Outstanding Defensive Player of the Year.

Wo other players from the Atlantic Coast Conference  – Donovan Ezeiruaku of Boston College and Antwaun Powell-Ryland of Virginia Tech – were also named semifinalists in the list that was announced on Tuesday.

named semifinalists for the 30th Chuck Bednarik Award for the Outstanding Defensive Player of the Year.

Williams leads the nation in interceptions with seven, which is two more than anyone else in the country. He returned one of those interceptions for a touchdown.

He also has 33 tackles, 22 of which are solo stops, and a total of 12 passes defended, which is tied for first in the ACC and fifth nationally.

He also returned a kickoff 80 yards for a touchdown in the season opener versus UC Davis.

Williams is also a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award, which goes to the nation’s top defensive back.

Semifinalist voting for the Bednarik Award presented by the Maxwell Football Club will begin today (Tuesday, November 12), and will close on Saturday, November 23. Three finalists for the award will be announced on Tuesday, November 26, and a final round of voting will take place at that time.

Eligible voters include Maxwell Football Club members, NCAA head football coaches, sports information directors and selected national media.

The winner of the 88th Maxwell Award and the 30th Chuck Bednarik Award will be announced as part of the ESPN Football Awards show on Thursday, December 12.

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