UCF defensive tackle Lee Hunter was named to his third preseason watch list Monday, as the redshirt junior garnered a spot on the Chuck Bednarik Award Watch List, which is presented annually to the most outstanding defensive player in college football.
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 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.
Hunter was also on the preseason watch lists for the Outland Trophy (nation’s best interior lineman) and the Bronko Nagurski Trophy (nation’s top defensive player).
Hailing from Mobile, Alabama, Hunter started every game for the Knights last season and was named an honorable mention selection on the All-Big 12 team chosen by the league’s head coaches. He tallied more tackles (69) than any other defensive tackle in the nation, according to Pro Football Focus.
His 69 tackles were the third most on the team in 2023 and his 11 tackles for loss were the second most for the Knights. Hunter made 38 unassisted stops and helped out on another 31 tackles. He put together one of his best games of the season with a career-high nine tackles in UCF’s Big 12 Conference opener against Baylor.
Semifinalists for the Chuck Bednarik Award will be announced Nov. 12, while the three finalists for the Bednarik Award will be unveiled Nov. 26. The winners of the 30th Chuck Bednarik Award will be announced as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show held on Dec. 12. 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.