Tulsa Linebacker Zaven Collins Named to Chuck Bednarik Preseason Watch List
7/13/2020 10:02:00 AM | Football
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. –– The University of Tulsa defensive standout Zaven Collins was named today to the watch list for the 26th annual Chuck Bednarik Award, as announced today by the Maxwell Football Club.
The Chuck Bednarik Award is presented annually to the outstanding defensive player in college football. Collins is one of 90 overall student-athletes and one of five players from the American Athletic Conference named to this season's Bednarik preseason watch list.
A 6'4" junior linebacker from Hominy, Okla., Collins was a second-team American Athletic Conference selection last year after recording 97 tackles, eight TFLs for -27 yards, two sacks and two pass breakups.
Collins has played in 24 career games with 22 starts and has totaled 182 tackles and 17.5 TFLs, six pass breakups and two fumble recoveries. A 2018 Freshman All-American as named by USA Today and FWAA, Collins has six double-figure tackle games and two blocked kicks in his career.
The Chuck Bednarik Award has been presented to the College Defensive Player of the Year since 1995 and is named in honor of Chuck Bednarik a former standout at the University of Pennsylvania and with the Philadelphia Eagles.
This year's list features three returning semifinalists from 2019 including Derek Stingley (LSU), Micah Parsons (Penn State) and Marvin Wilson (Florida State). The 2019 winner was Ohio State defensive end Chase Young, who was the second pick in the 2020 NFL draft by the Washington Redskins.
Tulsa opens the 2020 football season on Saturday, September 5, with a home game against the Toledo Rockets.
2020 Chuck Bednarik Preseason Watch List
| First | Last | Position | School | Class |
| Dylan | Moses | LB | Alabama | Senior |
| Patrick | Surtain | CB | Alabama | Junior |
| Shaun | Jolly | CB | Appalachian State | Junior |
| Demetrius | Taylor | DE | Appalachian State | Senior |
| K.J. | Britt | LB | Auburn | Senior |
| Antonio | Phillips | CB | Ball State | Senior |
| Terrel | Bernard | LB | Baylor | Junior |
| Jalen | Walker | CB | Boise State | Senior |
| Max | Richardson | LB | Boston College | Senior |
| Taylor | Riggins | DE | Buffalo | Junior |
| Camryn | Bynum | CB | Cal | Senior |
| Kuony | Deng | LB | Cal | Senior |
| Troy | Brown | LB | Central Michigan | Sophomore |
| Darrick | Forrest | S | Cincinnati | Senior |
| Ahmad | Gardner | CB | Cincinnati | Sophomore |
| James | Skalski | LB | Clemson | Senior |
| Tarron | Jackson | DE | Coastal Carolina | Senior |
| Nate | Landman | LB | Colorado | Senior |
| Victor | Dimukeje | DE | Duke | Senior |
| Chris | Rumph | DE | Duke | Junior |
| Akileis | Leroy | LB | Florida Atlantic | Senior |
| Hamsah | Nasirildeen | S | Florida State | Senior |
| Marvin | Wilson | DT | Florida State | Senior |
| Justin | Rice | LB | Fresno State | Senior |
| Richard | LeCounte | S | Georgia | Senior |
| Eric | Stokes | CB | Georgia | Junior |
| Jake | Hansen | LB | Illinois | Senior |
| Tiawan | Mullen | CB | Indiana | Sophomore |
| Greg | Eisworth | S | Iowa State | Senior |
| Wyatt | Hubert | DE | Kansas State | Junior |
| Jamar | Watson | LB | Kentucky | Senior |
| Corey | Straughter | CB | Louisiana-Monroe | Senior |
| Jabril | Cox | LB | LSU | Senior |
| JaCoby | Stevens | S | LSU | Senior |
| Derek | Stingley | CB | LSU | Sophomore |
| Quincy | Roche | DE | Miami | Senior |
| Gregory | Rousseau | DE | Miami | Sophomore |
| Sterling | Weatherford | S | Miami (OH) | Junior |
| Kwity | Paye | DE | Michigan | Senior |
| Ambry | Thomas | CB | Michigan | Senior |
| Antjuan | Simmons | LB | Michigan State | Senior |
| Reed | Blankenship | S | Middle Tennessee | Senior |
| Nick | Bolton | LB | Missouri | Junior |
| Diego | Fagot | LB | Navy | Junior |
| Dom | Peterson | DE | Nevada | Junior |
| Chazz | Surratt | LB | North Carolina | Senior |
| Kyle | Hamilton | S | Notre Dame | Sophomore |
| Jeremiah | Owusu-Koramoah | LB | Notre Dame | Junior |
| Shaun | Wade | CB | Ohio State | Junior |
| Ronnie | Perkins | DE | Oklahoma | Junior |
| Kolby | Harvell-Peel | S | Oklahoma State | Junior |
| Keion | White | DE | Old Dominion | Junior |
| Jevon | Holland | S | Oregon | Junior |
| Kayvon | Thibodeaux | DE | Oregon | Sophomore |
| Hamilcar | Rashed | LB | Oregon State | Senior |
| Micah | Parsons | LB | Penn State | Junior |
| Paris | Ford | S | Pittsburgh | Junior |
| Patrick | Jones | DE | Pittsburgh | Senior |
| Jaylen | Twyman | DT | Pittsburgh | Junior |
| George | Karlaftis | DE | Purdue | Sophomore |
| Blaze | Alldredge | LB | Rice | Senior |
| Cameron | Thomas | DT | San Diego State | Sophomore |
| Tariq | Thompson | S | San Diego State | Senior |
| Paulson | Adebo | CB | Stanford | Senior |
| Andre | Cisco | S | Syracuse | Junior |
| Trevon | Moehrig | S | TCU | Junior |
| Garret | Wallow | LB | TCU | Senior |
| Ifeanyi | Maijeh | DT | Temple | Junior |
| Henry | To'o To'o | LB | Tennessee | Sophomore |
| Joseph | Ossai | LB | Texas | Junior |
| Caden | Sterns | S | Texas | Junior |
| Carlton | Martial | LB | Troy | Junior |
| Zaven | Collins | LB | Tulsa | Junior |
| Kris | Moll | LB | UAB | Senior |
| Jordan | Smith | DE | UAB | Junior |
| Richie | Grant | S | UCF | Senior |
| Talanoa | Hufanga | S | USC | Junior |
| Drake | Jackson | DE | USC | Sophomore |
| Jay | Tufele | DT | USC | Junior |
| Charles | Snowden | LB | Virginia | Senior |
| Noah | Taylor | LB | Virginia | Junior |
| Rayshard | Ashby | LB | Virginia Tech | Senior |
| Caleb | Farley | CB | Virginia Tech | Junior |
| Carlos | Basham | DE | Wake Forest | Senior |
| Elijah | Molden | DB | Washington | Senior |
| Levi | Onwuzurike | DT | Washington | Senior |
| Jahad | Woods | LB | Washington State | Senior |
| Darius | Stills | DT | West Virginia | Senior |
| DeAngelo | Malone | DE | Western Kentucky | Senior |
| Jack | Sanborn | LB | Wisconsin | Junior |
Players Mentioned
Linebacker
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