Clemson linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr. named a Bednarik Award Semifinalist

Jeremiah Trotter Jr. has put in a junior season to remember. Now, he's being recognized for his efforts.

The Maxwell Football Club announced today that linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr. has been named as one of 20 semifinalists for the Chuck Bednarik Award, presented annually to the nation’s top defensive player. More information from the Maxwell Football Club is included below.

Maxwell Football Club Executive Director, Mark Wolpert, announced the 2023 semifinalists for the 87th Maxwell Award for the Collegiate Player of the Year and the 29th Chuck Bednarik Award for the Outstanding Defensive Player of the Year. The lists include a field of 17 candidates for the Maxwell Award and 20 candidates for the Bednarik Award as selected by the Maxwell Football Club National Selection Committee.

Jeremiah Trotter Jr / Clemson Athletics

The Maxwell Football Club has once again partnered with Pro Football Focus (PFF) and Phil Steele Publications as selection committee partners. PFF provides detailed statistical and performance-based assessments to selection committee staff, and several senior PFF analysts have been added to the selection committee and have participated in the process. Phil Steele’s College Football Preview is generally recognized as the most complete football reference in the country.

A strong field of Maxwell Award semifinalists includes representatives from 6 conferences, with the SEC boasting 6 candidates each and the Big Ten and Big 12 notching 3 spots each. Caleb Williams (USC), the 2022 Maxwell Award winner, leads this class of candidates which features 11 quarterbacks, 3 wide receivers, 2 running backs and 1 tight end.

On the defensive side of the ball, the field of contenders is comprised of fresh faces. Seven different conferences and 1 independent are represented, led by 4 student-athletes each from the Big Ten and SEC and 3 each from the Big 12 and ACC.

Last season, the Maxwell Award was presented to USC quarterback Caleb Williams and the Bednarik Award went to Alabama linebacker Will Anderson Jr. Anderson was selected with the No. 3 overall pick in this year’s NFL draft by the Houston Texans and Williams is completing his junior season for the Trojans.

Semifinalist voting for both of the collegiate awards presented by the Maxwell Football Club will begin on Wednesday Nov. 14 and will close on Nov. 26. Three finalists for each award will be announced on Nov. 28 and a finalist 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. All semifinalists are listed in alphabetical order by school with the player’s school, position and class designated.

The winners of the 87th Maxwell Award and the 29th Chuck Bednarik Award will be announced as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show which will be broadcast live on ESPN on Friday December 8, 2023. The formal presentation of the Maxwell and Chuck Bednarik Awards will take place at the 87th Maxwell Awards Gala which will be held on Friday March 8, 2024.

MAXWELL AWARD SEMIFINALISTS
QB Jalen Milroe, Alabama
QB Jordan Travis, Florida State
QB Carson Beck, Georgia
TE Brock Bowers, Georgia
QB Kaidon Salter, Liberty
WR Malik Nabers, LSU
QB Jayden Daniels, LSU
RB Blake Corum, Michigan
QB J.J. McCarthy, Michigan
WR Luther Burden III, Missouri
QB Drake Maye, North Carolina
WR Marvin Harrison Jr, Ohio State
QB Dillon Gabriel, Oklahoma
RB Ollie Gordon Jr, Oklahoma State
QB Bo Nix, Oregon
QB Caleb Williams, USC
QB Michael Penix Jr., Washington

BEDNARIK AWARD SEMIFINALISTS
LB Dallas Turner, Alabama
LB Jeremiah Trotter Jr, Clemson
DB Malaki Starks, Georgia
DL Jer’Zhan Newton, Illinois
DB Cooper DeJean, Iowa
DB T.J Tampa, Iowa State
DL Jalen Green, James Madison
DL Ashton Gillotte, Louisville
DL Kris Jenkins, Michigan
DB Kris Abrams-Draine, Missouri
LB Payton Wilson, NC State
DL Howard Cross III, Notre Dame
LB Tommy Eichenberg, Ohio State
LB Jason Henderson, Old Dominion
DL T’Vondre Sweat, Texas
LB Edgerrin Cooper, Texas A&M
CB Quinyon Mitchell, Toledo
DL Laiatu Latu, UCLA
DE Jonah Elliss, Utah
CB Beanie Bishop Jr., West Virginia

ABOUT THE MAXWELL FOOTBALL CLUB – The Maxwell Football Club was founded in 1935 and is the oldest football organization of its kind in America. The Club recognizes excellence in performance at the high school, collegiate and professional levels of the game. The Maxwell Club is also deeply involved and fully vested in the community through programs to promote academic excellence, community volunteerism, and leadership. High school student-athletes around the country have an opportunity to participate in MFC Showcase events, free of charge, through the generosity of our corporate partners, Montage Mountain Resort, Ivy Rehab, The Buccini Pollin Group, the Edward T. Coombs Foundation and the Run Around Inc. To learn more about our story visit www.maxwellfootballclub.org.

ABOUT PRO FOOTBALL FOCUS – PFF is widely recognized as the industry leader in the advanced data collection and analysis for American football. Since 2011, PFF has led football’s charge into the world of analytics. Their services are trusted by all 32 NFL teams and over 100 FBS programs. Major broadcast networks, national media outlets and player agencies all use PFF as a resource as well. PFF’s media network provides fans with apps, tools, podcasts and other content to help satisfy their thirst for deeper insights in the game.

The Maxwell Award is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. Founded in 1997, the NCFAA and its 25 awards now boast over 800 recipients, dating to 1935. Visit ncfaa.org to learn more about the association.