Two Alabama Defenders Named to Bednarik Award Watch List

Two of the Crimson Tide's leaders on defense have been named to the Chuck Bednarik Preseason Watch List. The Bednarik Award is presented annually to college football's defensive player of the year.

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Defensive lineman Tim Keenan III and linebacker Deontae Lawson join 85 other candidates for the Bednarik Award, announced by the Maxwell Football Club on Monday morning.

Keenan, a fifth-year senior from Birmingham, Alabama, started 12 games for the Crimson Tide last season, making appearances in all 13. He notched 40 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks. Keenan pressured the quarterback twice and broke up one pass last season, but received a 90.1 run defense grade from Pro Football Focus last season, good for sixth among interior defenders.

Lawson, a fifth-year senior from Mobile, Alabama, was a permanent team captain for the Crimson Tide last season, returning for his final year of eligibility after suffering a season-ending injury in Alabama's 24-3 loss to the Oklahoma Sooners last season. In his 11 starts for 2024, Lawson recorded 76 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, and two sacks while adding four pass breakups, one interception, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery.

Lawson should be healthy for week one against Florida State.

Alabama has produced three Bednarik Award winners in program history, with the first coming in 2016 by Jonathan Allen. Minkah Fitzpatrick made Alabama back-to-back winners, taking home the award in 2017, and the Tide's most recent winner was Will Anderson Jr. during the 2022 season.

Wyatt Fulton is the Tide 100.9 DME and Brand Manager, primarily covering Alabama Crimson Tide football and men's basketball. For more Crimson Tide coverage, follow Wyatt on X (Formerly known as Twitter) at @FultonW_.