Tulane redshirt junior defensive lineman Santana Hopper was recently named to the 2025 Chuck Bednarik Award Watch List by the Maxwell Football Club.

The award is presented annually to the most outstanding defensive player in college football. The Bednarik Award has been given to the College Defensive Player of the Year since 1995. It is named in honor of Chuck Bednarik, an NFL Hall of Fame linebacker and center, who played his entire career with the Philadelphia Eagles. Known as one of the last "60-minute men" for playing both offense and defense, Bednarik exemplified toughness, excellence, and leadership on the field – values that the award bearing his name seeks to recognize in today's top defensive players. The full list is comprised of 90 players

Hopper is in his first year at Tulane after transferring from Appalachian State. Last season, as a member of the Mountaineers, he totaled 36 tackles, 8.5 stops for loss and five sacks.

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 being members of our selection committee. Phil Steele's College Football Preview is generally recognized as the most complete preseason magazine.

Semifinalists for the Bednarik Award will be announced November 11, 2025, while the three finalists for the Bednarik Award will be unveiled November 25, 2025. The winner of the 31st Bednarik Award will be announced as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show held on December 11, 2025. The formal presentations of the Bednarik Award will be made at the Maxwell Football Club Awards on Friday, March 13, 2026, in Atlanta, Georgia.

ABOUT THE MAXWELL FOOTBALL CLUB – The Maxwell Football Club was founded in 1935 and is the oldest football organization of its kind in America. The Club recognizes excellence in performance at the high school, collegiate, and professional levels of the game. The Maxwell Club is also deeply involved and fully vested in the community through programs to promote academic excellence, community volunteerism, and leadership. High school student-athletes around the country have an opportunity to participate in MFC Showcase events, free of charge, through the generosity of our corporate partners, NFL Foundation, College Sports Communicators, SRA Inc., Vertical Raise, Quinco Inc., the ETC Foundation, and the Bradley Law Firm. To learn more about our story, visit www.maxwellfootballclub.org.

ABOUT PRO FOOTBALL FOCUS - PFF is widely recognized as the industry leader in the advanced data collection and analysis for American football. Since 2011, PFF has led football's charge into the world of analytics. Their services are trusted by all 32 NFL teams and over 100 FBS programs. Major broadcast networks, national media outlets, and player agencies all use PFF as a resource as well. PFF's media network provides fans with apps, tools, podcasts, and other content to help satisfy their thirst for deeper insights into the game.

Sixteen NCFAA members are unveiling preseason watch lists over a two-week period as the association spearheads a coordinated effort to promote each award's preseason candidates.