Two Penn State Players Named to Bednarik Award Watch List

Penn State's Abdul Carter, KJ Winston make preseason watch list for college football's defensive player-of-the-year award.

Penn State linebacker Abdul Carter motions to the crowd during the 2023 White Out game against Iowa at Beaver Stadium. / Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK

Penn State's Abdul Carter and KJ Winston are on the preseason watch list for the Bednarik Award, which the Maxwell Football Club presents to the nation's most outstanding defensive football player. The preseason nomination is the fourth for Carter, who also was named to watch lists for the Nagurski Trophy and the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award. The watch list is the first for Winston.

Carter, a first-team all-Big Ten linebacker last season, will play two positions for the Nittany Lions this season. The junior primarily will play defensive linebacker but also will shuttle back to linebacker, which he played for two seasons. Carter also represented Penn State on the Walter Camp preseason All-America Team.

“He'll play both. We have the flexibility to play him at both positions,” Franklin said. “He's one of the unique athletes that was playing linebacker at 250 pounds. You never know how that transition is going to go, playing in space at the linebacker position compared to moving up to the line of scrimmage and having to go against the offensive tackles. He made the adjustment pretty quickly.”

Winston was honorable mention All-Big Ten last season in his first season starting at safety. The junior led Penn State with 60 tackles (35 solo) and made 2.5 for losses. He also recovered two fumbles, broke up five passes and made on interception.

Carter and Winston, both part of Penn State's 2022 recruiting class, already are drawing conversation about the 2025 NFL Draft. Winston is considered among the top safeties in the nation, according to the All Access Football scouting service. In fact, Ric Serritella's scouting report ranks Winston as the No. 2 safety in the 2025 NFL Draft behind only Malaki Starks of Georgia.

Meanwhile, Serritella ranks Carter among the draft class' top-5 edge rushers and notes Penn State's recent history for developing pass rushers.

"It has been an NFL-factory for pass-rushers in Happy Valley lately. Add Abdul Carter as the next one to come down the following in the footsteps of Chop Robinson, Micah Parsons, Odafe Oweh, among others," Serritella writes. "Carter lacks ideal length, so he is one player who could be asked to transition to outside linebacker at the next level. However, his pass-rush prowess puts him in strong consideration for round one."

Eleven Penn State players have been named to preseason college football watch lists:

• Drew Allar: Maxwell Award, Davey O'Brien Award

• Kaytron Allen: Doak Walker Award

• Abdul Carter: Nagurski Trophy, Walter Camp Player of the Year Award, Bednarik Award, Lott IMPACT Trophy

• Nick Dawkins: Wuerffel Trophy (community service award)

• Tyler Duzansky: Mannelly Award (long snapper award)

• Chase Meyer: Lou Groza Award (kicker)

• Nicholas Singleton: Maxwell Award, Paul Hornung Award, Walter Camp Player of the Year Award, Doak Walker Award

• Riley Thompson: Ray Guy Award (punter)

• Tyler Warren: Mackey Award (tight end)

• KJ Winston: Bednarik Award (outstanding defensive player)

• Sal Wormley: Outland Trophy (interior lineman)

Penn State opens the 2024 season Aug. 31 at West Virginia. Kickoff is scheduled for noon ET on FOX.

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