Kentucky defensive standouts make watch lists for Chuck Bednarik, Butkus Awards

It’s watch list season and today, we have two more to tell you about. Let’s start with the Chuck Bednarik Award, which is presented to the College Defensive Player of the Year and named in honor of Chuck “Concrete Charlie” Bednarik, a College and Pro Football Hall of Famer. Two Kentucky Wildcats are in the running for that prestigious honor: junior defensive back Maxwell Hairston and junior defensive tackle Deone Walker.

Hairston had five interceptions last season, which ranked fifth nationally and tied for the fifth-most in a single season in program history. His 131 interception return yards are the most in program history since Greg Long’s 176 in 1981. Two of those five interceptions came against Vanderbilt and were returned for touchdowns, which tied an SEC single-game record. For that, he was named National Defensive Player of the Week and National Defensive Back of the Week. So far this preseason, he’s also on the watch lists for the Jim Thorpe Award and the Bronko Nagurski Trophy.

Walker, a 6-foot-6, 345-pound giant, led Kentucky in tackles for loss (12.5), quarterback sacks (7.5), and quarterback hurries (8) last season. He also had two pass breakups, including one in the win vs. Florida that was intercepted by Kentucky and returned to the Florida 15-yard line to set up a touchdown drive. Walker has started in 24 straight games and set or tied single-game career highs in every category last season. This year, he’s been named Preseason All-American Second Team by USA Today; Preseason All-SEC First Team by the media, Athlon, and Walter Camp; and to watch lists for the Outland Trophy and the Lott IMPACT Trophy.

Jamon “Pop” Dumas-Johnson, D’Eryk Jackson up for Butkus Award

When it comes to positional honors, two more Cats received some preseason kudos. Seniors Jamon “Pop” Dumas-Johnson and D’Eryk Jackson are two of the 51 players on the preseason watch list for the Butkus Award, which honors the nation’s top linebacker. Kentucky is one of seven schools with multiple players on the list.

Dumas-Johnson comes to Kentucky after three seasons at Georgia, where he played in 38 career games and helped the Bulldogs to back-to-back national championships. He started in 24 straight games, including nine last season before suffering a broken left forearm (radius bone) in a win over Missouri. He missed the remainder of the season and transferred to Kentucky in January. Before getting hurt, Dumas-Johnson totaled 34 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, two pass breakups, and a quarterback hurry for the Bulldogs.

Jackson was Kentucky’s leading tackler the past two seasons, totaling 81 tackles in 2023, along with 6.5 tackles for loss (-20 yards), three pass breakups, two quarterback hurries, two interceptions (29 yards), a sack (-6 yards), and a forced fumble. He returned one of those interceptions, vs. Mississippi State, 26 yards for a touchdown. The other set up a touchdown vs. Vanderbilt.