Offensive Player of the Year
QB Johnny Manziel, Texas A&M

Defensive Player of the Year
DE Jadeveon Clowney, South Carolina
 
Co-Special Teams Player of the Year
K Caleb Sturgis, Florida
KR/PR Ace Sanders, South Carolina

Freshman of the Year
QB Johnny Manziel, Texas A&M

Scholar-Athlete of the Year
C Barrett Jones, Alabama

Jacobs Blocking Trophy
OT Luke Joeckel, Texas A&M

Co-Coaches of the Year 
Kevin Sumlin, Texas A&M
Will Muschamp, Florida

The finalists for the Maxwell Award Collegiate Player of the Year (most outstanding) and the Chuck Bednarik Award for the Outstanding Defensive Player of the Year was announced Monday November 19 by Maxwell Football Club President Ron Jaworski. 

Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o was named as a finalist of both awards and he was a potential contender that I mentioned for the Bednarik this preseason. 

The finalists of each award are the same players that I nominated as a part of my membership of the Maxwell Football Club. 

The Maxwell Award is similar to the Heisman Trophy, but often has different winners. The 2010 and 2011 winners of both awards were the same (Cam Newton 2010 & Robert Griffin III 2011), but in 2009, Alabama RB Mark Ingram won the Heisman while Texas QB Colt McCoy won the Maxwell. 

With the recent performances of Texas A&M QB Johnny Manziel and the decline of Kansas State QB Collin Klein, Johnny Football would have to be a favorite for the Maxwell. 

Maxwell Award Finalists

QB Collin Klein 6-5 226 Sr, Kansas State
Stats: 66.7 completion percent, 2,306 passing yards, 14 passing touchdowns, six interceptions, 787 rushing yards, and 20 rushing touchdowns.

QB Johnny Manziel 6-1 200 Fr, Texas A&M
Stats: 67.7 completion percent, 3,047 passing yards, 21 passing touchdowns, 1,114 rushing yards, and 17 rushing touchdowns.

LB Manti Te'o 6-2 255 Sr, Notre Dame
Stats: 98 total tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, six interceptions, two fumble recoveries, and 1.5 sacks. 

Chuck Bednarik Award Finalists

DE Jadeveon Clowney 6-6 256 So, South Carolina
Stats: 43 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks, and two fumble recoveries.

LB Jarvis Jones 6-3 241 Jr, Georgia
Stats: 62 total tackles, 18 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks, two fumble recoveries, and one interception.

LB Manti Te'o 6-2 255 Sr, Notre Dame
Stats: 98 total tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, six interceptions, two fumble recoveries, and 1.5 sacks. 

As a member of the Maxwell Football Club, I have a vote in both. Here are my current top three of each award:
Maxwell Award- 1. QB Johnny Manziel Texas A&M, 2. LB Manti Te'o Notre Dame, and 3. QB Collin Klein Kansas State. 
Chuck Bednarik- 1. LB Manti Te'o Notre Dame, 2. LB Jarvis Jones Georgia, and 3. DE Jadeveon Clowney South Carolina.  

Find out more about the Maxwell Football Club here:
MaxwellFootballClub.org

The 2012 Bednarik Award Watch List for the college football defensive player of the year was announced earlier this morning by the Maxwell Football Club. The award is named in honor of former Penn and Philadelphia Eagles player Chuck Bednarik. 

Tyrann Mathieu of LSU is a strong early favorite since he was last season's winner and he would be the third player to win the award twice. The long list of 65 has plenty of other potential contenders. NC State cornerback David Amerson and Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o put up impressive numbers in 2011. Amerson had 13 interceptions and Te'o had 128 tackles last season.   

Alabama, LSU, and Michigan State have the most players listed with four each. Florida State, Texas, USC, and Virginia Tech have the next most with three each. For conferences, the SEC has the most with 15 and Big Ten is close behind with 14. 

You can find more information about the Maxwell award at MaxwellFootballClub.Org.

Players Listed per Conference: 
SEC: 15
Big Ten: 14
Big 12: 11
ACC: 10
Pac 12: 9
Big East: 4
Conference USA: 1
Independents: 1

Players Listed per Position:
Defensive Tackle: 8
Defensive End: 15
Linebacker: 20
Cornerback: 16
Safety: 6

2012 Bednarik Award Watch List:
LB Sr. Nico Johnson, Alabama
CB Sr. Robert Lester, Alabama
LB Jr. C.J. Mosley, Alabama
DT Sr. Jesse Williams, Alabama
DE Sr. Trevardo Williams, Connecticut
DT Jr. Shariff Floyd, Florida
DE Sr. Brandon Jenkins, Florida State
S Jr. Lamarcus Joyner, Florida State
CB Jr. Xavier Rhodes, Florida State
DT Sr. Jonathan Jenkins, Georgia
LB Jr. Jarvis Jones, Georgia
LB Jr. Jonathan Brown, Illinois
DE Sr. Michael Buchanan, Illinois
CB Sr. Micah Hyde, Iowa
LB Jr. James Morris, Iowa
LB Sr. A.J. Klein, Iowa State
LB Sr. Jake Knott, Iowa State
LB Sr. Arthur Brown, Kansas State
CB Sr. Nigel Malone, Kansas State
CB Jr. Tyrann Mathieu, LSU
DE Jr. Barkevious Mingo, LSU
DE Jr. Sam Montgomery, LSU
S Jr. Eric Reid, LSU
DT Sr. Joe Vellano, Maryland
CB Sr. Ray-Ray Armstrong, Miami
CB Sr. Johnny Adams, Michigan State
LB Jr. Denicos Allen, Michigan State
LB Jr. Max Bullough, Michigan State
DE Jr. William Gholston, Michigan State
CB Sr. Jonathan Banks, Mississippi State
CB Jr. David Amerson, NC State
LB Sr. Kevin Reddick, North Carolina
LB Sr. Manti Te'o, Notre Dame
DT Jr. Johnathan Hankins, Ohio State
DE Sr. John Simon, Ohio State
CB Sr. Demontre Hurst, Oklahoma
S Jr. Tony Jefferson, Oklahoma
CB Sr. Brodrick Brown, Oklahoma State
S Sr. John Boyett, Oregon
DE Sr. Dion Jordan, Oregon
CB Sr. Jordan Poyer, Oregon State
LB Sr. Gerald Hodges, Penn State
DT Jr. Aaron Donald, Pittsburgh
CB Jr. Ricardo Allen, Purdue
DT Sr. Kawann Short, Purdue
LB Sr. Khaseem Greene, Rutgers
CB Sr. Logan Ryan, Rutgers
DE So. Jadeveon Clowney, South Carolina 
DE Sr. Devin Taylor, South Carolina
DE Sr. Jamie Collins, Southern Mississippi
LB Sr. Shayne Skov, Stanford
LB Sr. Chase Thomas, Stanford
DE Jr. Stansly Maponga, TCU
DE Jr. Jackson Jeffcoat, Texas
DE Sr. Alex Okafor, Texas
S Sr. Kenny Vaccaro, Texas
LB Sr. Sean Porter, Texas A&M
LB So. Dion Bailey, USC
S Sr. T.J. McDonald, USC
CB Jr. Nickell Robey, USC
DT Sr. Star Lotulelei, Utah
CB Jr. Kyle Fuller, Virginia Tech
DE Jr. James Gayle, Virginia Tech
LB Sr. Bruce Taylor, Virginia Tech
LB Jr. Chris Borland, Wisconsin