8/14/2023 football Edit

Trio of Penn State defenders named to Bednarik Award watch list

Dylan Callaghan-Croley • Happy Valley Insider

Editor

Three Penn State players have been named to the 2023 Bednarik Award watch list. The award is given out annually to the nation's top defensive players regardless of position.

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Junior cornerback Kalen King and defensive end Chop Robinson were named to the watch list, as was sophomore linebacker Abdul Carter.

Kalen King, one of the top defensive backs in the nation, is coming off an All-American season for the Nittany Lions in which he recorded 30 tackles and 18 pass breakups to go with three interceptions and one fumble recovery. He'll look to use a strong senior season to become Penn State's first defensive back drafted in the first round of the NFL Draft.

Chop Robinson, who started his career at Maryland, made the move to Happy Valley last offseason and benefited greatly. He was a Big Ten honorable mention last season by both the coaches and media but was one of the best pass rushers in the country, according to Pro Football Focus. Last season, he recorded 26 tackles, which included 10 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks.

Abdul Carter is potentially the best player on Penn State's entire roster despite being just a sophomore. The freshman All-American was phenomenal last season for Penn State, with 56 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, and 6.5 sacks. He'll enter this fall as one of the top linebackers in all of college football and has a chance to be a true gamewrecker for the Nittany Lions.

Three Nittany Lions have won the award all time since the award was first created in 1995. LaVar Arrington (1999), Pol Poluszny (2005-2006), and Dan Connor (2007) all won the award for the Nittany Lions.