Kayvon Thibodeaux Named to Bednarik Award Watch List

The Ducks star edge rusher has the potential to become the first player in program history to win the honor of the nation's top defender.

Oregon defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux is on the watch list for the Chuck Bednarik Award for the second consecutive year, announced by the Maxwell Club Monday. He was one of nine Pac-12 players named to the watch list for the nation's top defensive player.

The list keeps growing.

Kayvon Thibodeaux is on the preseason watch list for the @BednarikAward, given annually to college football's defensive player of the year.

More ➡️ https://t.co/1U788j4VBf#GoDucks x @kayvonT8 pic.twitter.com/V5Lzv6rCCF

— Oregon Football (@oregonfootball) July 19, 2021

For the fifth straight year, at least one Oregon defender has been named to the watch list — Thibodeaux and Jevon Holland in 2020; Troy Dye in 2019; Dye and Jalen Jelks in 2018; Dye and Jelks in 2017.

Tulsa's Zaven Collins is the reigning Bednarik Award winner. Only two Pac-12 players have ever won the honor since it was first awarded in 1995 — USC linebacker Rey Maualuga in 2008 and Arizona linebacker Scooby Wright III in 2014.

Thibodeaux has emerged as one of the best defensive players in the country and one of the best players in the country period. The former No. 1 recruit in the 2019 cycle already has an overflowing list of preseason honors, including Phil Steele's preseason Defensive Player of the Year, a spot on the Lott IMPACT Award watch list, and a first-team preseason All-American selection by numerous media outlets.

Read more: Thibodeaux Racks up Preseason Honors

Thibodeaux has been dominant since stepping on campus in 2019, earning the Pac-12 Freshman Defensive Player of the Year award after setting the program freshman sacks record with nine. In that same year he announced himself to the college football world and helped the Ducks win the Pac-12 Championship Game over Utah with 2.5 sacks.

If not for the shortened 2020 schedule, Thibodeaux would have put up some crazy numbers, as he recorded 9.5 tackles for loss and 38 tackles in just seven games. He shined in the Pac-12 title game once again, as he was crowned the game's MVP after collecting 12 quarterback pressures, two tackles for loss, and a sack.

Thibodeaux has become the face of the Oregon Ducks and has the attention of every NFL team and scout. He's widely projected to be the first player taken in the 2021 NFL draft and be a pivotal piece in the turnaround of an NFL franchise.

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