No. 1/1 Football trio tabbed to Chuck Bednarik Award watch checklist

By: Grace Tafolla

AUSTIN, Texas – No. 1 Texas Football’s Anthony Hill Jr., Colin Simmons and Michael Taaffe have been named to the preseason watch checklist for the Chuck Bednarik Award, the Maxwell Football Club introduced Monday. The Bednarik Award has been given to the College Defensive Player of the Year since 1995.

Texas is one among seven faculties with three or extra candidates on the watch checklist. Last season, Hill and former Texas defensive again Jahdae Barron have been chosen as semifinalists for the award.

In addition to the Bednarik Award watch checklist, Hill has been positioned on preseason watch lists for the Walter Camp National Player of the Year Award, Butkus Award, Bronko Nagurski Trophy and Lott IMPACT Trophy.

Hill, a preseason First-Team All-SEC choice, began all 16 video games at linebacker final season, incomes second-team All-America honors by the AFCA, Associated Press, The Sporting News and Walter Camp. The Denton, Texas, product was tabbed a semifinalist for the Bednarik and Butkus awards in 2024. Hill led UT in tackles (103), tackles for loss (16.5), and compelled fumbles (4), whereas sitting third on the squad in sacks (8). He composed three double-digit tackling performances and was credited with 0.5-or-more tackles for loss in 11 completely different video games. Hill acquired nationwide reward following his standout efficiency in Texas’ 34-3 win over No. 18/16 Oklahoma within the Allstate Red River Rivalry on Oct. 12. He garnered Walter Camp National Defensive Player of the Week (Oct. 15), Lott IMPACT Trophy Player of the Week (Oct. 16) and SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Week accolades (Oct. 14). Against the Sooners, Hill compiled 11 tackles (seven solo), two sacks, 3.5 tackles for loss, one compelled fumble and one strain in Texas’ win. Hill is a third-year participant who has appeared in 30 video games with 22 begins.

Simmons has additionally been named to the preseason watch checklist for the Walter Camp National Player of the Year Award and Bronko Nagurski Trophy along with incomes preseason First-Team All-SEC reward. Simmons had a breakout yr in his first season on the Forty Acres, rising as a standout on an elite Texas protection and changing into the primary Longhorn to be chosen the Shaun Alexander National Freshman of the Year because the award’s inception in 2018. Simmons appeared in all 16 video games, main the group with 9.0 sacks that totaled a lack of 64 yards and rating second in tackles for loss (14.0-73), quarterback hurries (9) and compelled fumbles (three). Simmons additionally compiled 48 complete tackles (31 solo), an interception and two move break-ups. He led all FBS freshmen in complete sacks, whereas his 9 sacks have been the third-most by a freshman in program single-season historical past.

A preseason First-Team All-SEC honoree, Taaffe has already been positioned on preseason watch lists for the Allstate Wuerffel Trophy, Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Jim Thorpe Award and Lott IMPACT Trophy. He returns to the UT protection after garnering second-team All-America recognition from the Associated Press in 2024. An Austin, Texas native and former walk-on, Taaffe began all 16 video games final season, rating second on the group in complete tackles (78), interceptions (2) and move break-ups (10). He was the one Longhorn to file an interception and a compelled fumble in the identical sport final season after doing so in Texas’ win at No. 25/25 Vanderbilt on Oct. 26, incomes the Burlsworth’s Trophy National Player of the Week and the SEC’s Co-Defensive Player of the Week. Taaffe compelled two turnovers to go together with six tackles and a move break-up in opposition to the Commodores. In the CFP Quarterfinal on the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl vs. Arizona State, Taaffe logged a career-high 10 tackles (six solo) and two move break-ups to assist ship Texas to its second-consecutive CFP semifinal. Taaffe is a fifth-year defensive again who has performed in 43 video games with 26 begins.

Semifinalists for the Bednarik Award will probably be introduced Nov. 11, 2025, whereas the three finalists for the Bednarik Award will probably be unveiled Nov. 25, 2025. The winner of the thirty first Bednarik Award will probably be introduced as a part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show held on Dec. 11, 2025. The formal displays of the Bednarik Award will probably be made on the Maxwell Football Club Awards on Friday, March 13, 2026, in Atlanta, Georgia.

Texas opens the 2025 season on the street at No. 2 Ohio State at 11 a.m. CT Saturday, Aug. 30, inside Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. The sport will broadcast as a part of FOX’s Big Noon Kickoff, and ESPN’s College GameDay will broadcast reside from the Ohio State University campus. College GameDay will air for 3 hours from 8-11 a.m. CT, hosted by Rece Davis, Lee Corso, Desmond Howard, Pat McAffee, Nick Saban, Kirk Herbstreit and different ESPN personalities. It would be the closing present for longtime ESPN persona Lee Corso as he’s set to retire following Week 1 of the 2025 season.