Etienne, Simmons named Maxwell & Bednarik Awards Semifinalists
Maxwell Football Club President, Mark Dianno, announced the 2019 semifinalists for the 83rd Maxwell Award for the Collegiate Player of the Year and the 25th Chuck Bednarik Award for the Outstanding Defensive Player of the Year.
The respective lists include a field of 20 candidates for the Maxwell and Bednarik Awards as selected by the Maxwell Football Club National Selection Committee.
The Maxwell Football Club has once again teamed with Pro Football Focus (PFF) and Phil Steele Publications as selection committee partners. PFF provides detailed statistical and performance-based assessments to selection committee staff, and several senior PFF analysts have been added to the selection committee and have participated in the process. Phil Steele's Football Guide is generally recognized as the most complete football reference in the country.
A strong field of Maxwell Award semifinalists includes a representative from every Power Five conference as well as one student-athlete from a Group of Five school.
On the defensive side of the ball, the field of contenders is comprised of fresh faces, all of whom are making their debuts as Bednarik Award semifinalists. Six different conferences are represented, led by six student-athletes from the SEC and five from the Big Ten.
Semifinalist voting for both of the collegiate awards presented by the Maxwell Football Club will begin on Wednesday, Oct. 30 and will close on Nov. 24. Three finalists for each award will be announced on Nov. 25 and a second round of voting will take place at that time. Eligible voters include Maxwell Football Club members, NCAA head football coaches, sports information directors and selected national media. All semifinalists are listed in alphabetical order by school with the player's school, position and class designated.
The winners of the 83rd Maxwell Award and the 25th Chuck Bednarik Award will be announced as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show presented by Gildanwhich will be broadcast live on ESPN on Dec. 12, 2019. The formal presentation of these awards will be made at the Maxwell Football Club's Awards Dinner on Friday, March 6, 2020 at the Tropicana Casino & Resort in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Bednarik Semifinalists
| Last Name | First Name | Position | School | Class |
| McKinney | Xavier | S | Alabama | Junior |
| Brown | Derrick | DT | Auburn | Senior |
| Weaver | Curtis | DE | Boise State | Junior |
| Weaver | Evan | LB | Cal | Senior |
| Simmons | Isaiah | LB | Clemson | Junior |
| Wilson | Marvin | NG | Florida State | Junior |
| Reed | J.R. | S | Georgia | Senior |
| Stingley | Derek | CB | LSU | Freshman |
| Okudah | Jeffrey | CB | Ohio State | Junior |
| Young | Chase | DE | Ohio State | Junior |
| Gallimore | Neville | DT | Oklahoma | Senior |
| Murray | Kenneth | LB | Oklahoma | Junior |
| Gross-Matos | Yetur | DE | Penn State | Junior |
| Parsons | Micah | LB | Penn State | Sophomore |
| Kinlaw | Javon | DT | South Carolina | Senior |
| Madubuike | Justin | DL | Texas A&M | Junior |
| Brooks | Jordyn | LB | Texas Tech | Senior |
| Anae | Bradlee | DE | Utah | Senior |
| Woodward | David | LB | Utah State | Junior |
| Baun | Zack | DE | Wisconsin | Senior |
Maxwell Semifinalists
| Last Name | First Name | Position | School | Class |
| Jeudy | Jerry | WR | Alabama | Junior |
| Tagovailoa | Tua | QB | Alabama | Junior |
| Brown | Derrick | DT | Auburn | Senior |
| Brewer | Charlie | QB | Baylor | Junior |
| Dillon | AJ | RB | Boston College | Junior |
| Etienne | Travis | RB | Clemson | Junior |
| Akers | Cam | RB | Florida State | Junior |
| Swift | D'Andre | RB | Georgia | Junior |
| Burrow | Joe | QB | LSU | Senior |
| Fields | Justin | QB | Ohio State | Sophomore |
| Young | Chase | DE | Ohio State | Junior |
| Hurts | Jalen | QB | Oklahoma | Senior |
| Lamb | CeeDee | WR | Oklahoma | Junior |
| Hubbard | Chuba | RB | Oklahoma State | Sophomore |
| Herbert | Justin | QB | Oregon | Senior |
| Hamler | KJ | WR | Penn State | Sophomore |
| Buechele | Shane | QB | SMU | Senior |
| Ehlinger | Sam | QB | Texas | Junior |
| Moss | Zack | RB | Utah | Senior |
| Taylor | Jonathan | RB | Wisconsin | Junior |
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Last season, the Maxwell Award was presented to Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and the Bednarik Award went to Kentucky defensive end Josh Allen. Tagovailoa has returned for his junior season at Alabama and has led the Crimson Tide to an 8-0 record this season. Allen was a first-round draft pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars and has posted 7 sacks thus far during his rookie campaign.