Maxwell Hairston, Deone Walker on Chuck Bednarik Award Watch List
Kentucky defensive standouts Maxwell Hairston and Deone Walker have been named to the 30th Chuck Bednarik Award Watch List, it was announced today by the Maxwell Football Club.
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.
Hairston, a 6-foot-1, 186-pound defensive back from Detroit, totaled five interceptions in 2023, including four in Southeastern Conference action, and ranked fifth in the nation in that category. His five interceptions tied for fifth-most interceptions in a single season in program history, the most since Sam Maxwell in 2009 (six). He totaled 131 interception return yards, the most since Greg Long had 176 return yards in 1981.
The junior had two interceptions alone at Vanderbilt, returning both for touchdowns, tying an SEC single-game record. He was named National Defensive Player of the Week and National Defensive Back of the Week for that game.
Along with his league-high five takeaways, Hairston ranked eighth in the SEC in passes defended in 2023 with 11.
He is also on the watch lists for the Jim Thorpe Award and the Bronko Nagurski Trophy.
Hairston is on track to graduate in December 2024 with a degree in community leadership and development.
Walker, a 6-foot-6, 348-pound defensive lineman also from Detroit, is coming off a sensational sophomore season in 2023. Despite battling frequent double teams, he led the Blue and White in tackles for loss (12.5), quarterback sacks (7.5) and quarterback hurries (8). He also added two pass breakups, including one in Kentucky’s win over Florida on Sept. 30, which was intercepted by UK and returned to the UF 15-yard line that led to an eventual touchdown.
The Wildcat was named one of seven permanent team captains last season, as he went on to play in and start all 13 games. In fact, he improved his streak to 24 straight starts, a stretch dating back to his freshman season in 2022. Walker set or tied single-game career highs in every category last season, including recording nine tackles at South Carolina, 4.0 tackles for loss (-7 yards) at Missouri, 1.0 sacks (-6 yards) last at South Carolina, one pass breakup last at Georgia and two quarterback hurries against EKU.
Walker earned first-team All-SEC honors from multiple selectors and was a third-team All-America choice by the College Football Network in 2023.
He is currently also on the watch lists for the Lott IMPACT Trophy, the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and the Outland Trophy Watch.
Last year’s Chuck Bednarik Award winner was Payton Wilson Jr. (NC State) who went on to be the third round selection of the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2024 NFL Draft. Kentucky’s Josh Hines-Allen won the award in 2018.
Semifinalists for the Chuck Bednarik Award will be announced Nov. 12, 2024, while the three finalists for the Maxwell Award will be unveiled Nov. 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 Dec. 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.
