Bailey Named to Bednarik Award Watch List
August 21, 2026 | Football
NEWS
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Illinois DB Matthew Bailey has been named to the preseason watch list for the 2026 Chuck Bednarik Award, released Friday by the Maxwell Football Club.
Bailey is among 91 players listed in consideration for the College Defensive Player of the Year honor. He is one of 19 Big Ten players on the watch list.
CHUCK BEDNARIK AWARD
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.
- Chuck Bednarik Award Website
- Last three winners:
- 2025: Jacob Rodriguez, LB, Texas Tech
- 2024: Travis Hunter, CB, Colorado
- 2023: Payton Wilson, LB, NC State
MATTHEW BAILEY
- Team Captain
- Two-Time All-Big Ten
- Three-Time Academic All-Big Ten
- 2026 Athlon Preseason All-Big Ten Third Team
- 2026 Phil Steele All-Big Ten Third Team
- 2026 Lott IMPACT Trophy Watch List
- 2026 Panini Senior Bowl Top 300
- Led Illinois in total tackles each of the last two seasons with 76 in 2025 and 94 in 2024
- Single-season career high in solo tackles (59) and tackles for loss (4.0) in 2025
- 14th in the Big Ten in tackles per game (6.8) in 2024
- AP All-Bowl Team honoree after tying Illinois bowl record with 14 tackles in Citrus Bowl win over #14 South Carolina
ILLINI ON WATCH LISTS (AS OF AUGUST 20)
- Matthew Bailey – Lott IMPACT Trophy, Panini Senior Bowl Top 300, Chuck Bednarik Award
- Bret Bielema – Allstate AFCA Good Works Team
- Hudson Clement – Panini Senior Bowl Top 300
- Brandon Henderson – Allstate AFCA Good Works Team, Allstate Wuerffel Trophy
- Katin Houser – Panini Senior Bowl Top 300
- Jayshon Platt - Jet Award, Biletnikoff Award
- Jake Renfro – Rimington Trophy, Panini Senior Bowl Top 300, Comeback Player of the Year
- Xavier Scott – Panini Senior Bowl Top 300, Comeback Player of the Year
- Ca'Lil Valentine – Doak Walker Award
