Tonka Hemingway Named to the Bednarik Watch List

University of South Carolina senior defensive lineman Tonka Hemingway has been named to the 30th Chuck Bednarik Award Watch List, the Maxwell Football Club announced today. The Bednarik Award is presented annually to the outstanding defensive player in college football.

Hemingway, a 6-3, 288-pounder from Conway, S.C., is taking advantage of a fifth year of eligibility due to COVID-19. He has appeared in all 48 games over the last four seasons with 17 starts. He owns 13.5 career tackles for loss with 5.5 sacks, 10 pass breakups, 13 quarterback hurries and four fumble recoveries. In addition, he has scored a touchdown and has also scored on a two-point conversion. He was presented with the Harold White GPA Award for the defense and the Gamecock Toughness Award for the defense in the spring.

The Bednarik Award has been presented to the College Defensive Player of the Year since 1994 and is named in honor of Chuck “Concrete Charlie” Bednarik who was an All-American player at the University of Pennsylvania and later a multiple year All Pro linebacker and center for the Philadelphia Eagles. He is a member of both the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame and was the last NFL player to be a full-time player on both offense and defense.

The Bednarik Award watch list will once again incorporate a broad spectrum of Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) programs and conferences from coast to coast, led by 4 returning 2023 semifinalists: Malaki Starks (Georgia), Ashton Gillotte (Louisville), Howard Cross III (Notre Dame) and Jason Henderson (Old Dominion). Georgia, Iowa, Miami, Michigan and Ohio State lead the way with 3 candidates each and an additional 13 schools boast 2 players represented. 6 conferences are represented, SEC (21), ACC (19), Big10 (19), Big12 (13), AAC (4), MAC (4), Mountain West (4) and Sunbelt (3). There are also 3 Independents who have candidates listed.

The Maxwell Football Club has once again partnered with Pro Football Focus (PFF) and Phil Steele Publications as selection committee partners. PFF provides detailed metrics and performance-based assessments to selection committee staff, with several senior PFF analysts are members of our selection committee. Phil Steele’s College Football Preview is generally recognized as the most complete preseason magazine.

Semifinalists for the Chuck Bednarik Award will be announced November 12, 2024, while the three finalists for the Maxwell Award will be unveiled November 26, 2024. The winners of the 30th Chuck Bednarik Award will be announced as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show held on December 12, 2024. The formal presentations of the Chuck Bednarik Award will be made at the Maxwell Football Club Awards on Friday March 14, 2025 at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, Georgia. Questions concerning the 2024 Bednarik Award watch list can be directed to MFC Executive Director Mark Wolpert mwolpert@maxwellfootballclub.org or MFC Vice President of College Awards Rich Cirminiello rcirminiello@maxwellfootballclub.org.