BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The Indiana football defensive trio of Aiden Fisher, Mikail Kamara and D’Angelo Ponds all saw their name on the preseason watch list for the Bednarik Award. It is the second preseason player of the year list the trio finds themselves on, as they are also a part of the Bronko Nagurski preseason watch list.
Indiana joins Clemson, Georgia, Oregon, Penn State, Texas and Texas Tech as the seven programs with three-or-more players on the preseason list.
The Maxwell Football Club has bestowed the Chuck Bednarik Award annually to the most outstanding defensive player in college football since 1995. Semifinalists will be announced November 11 and the three finalists will be unveiled November 25. The winner of the 31st Bednarik Award will be announced as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show held on December 11, 2025.
The first-ever first-team All-America pick at linebacker in program history in 2024, Fisher is back after his 118-tackle season that ranks No. 16 on the single season charts. The first-team All-Big Ten pick last season anchored a defense that led the nation in rushing defense. Along with his 118 stops, he added 5.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and four pass breakups.
A 2024 finalist for the Lott IMPACT Trophy and semifinalist for the Bednarik Award last season, Kamara was a second-team All-America pick by The Athletic and first Indiana defensive lineman since Greg Middleton (first team) in 2007 to earn All-America status. The first-team All-Big Ten selection led the FBS in total pressures (73) and graded as the No. 4 edge rusher in the Big Ten and No. 15 in Power 4 (86.7) per Pro Football Focus a season ago.
A second-team All-America pick by six outlets in 2024, Ponds was a first-team All-Big Ten pick as a true sophomore. Rated the top cornerback in the Big Ten and No. 9 in Power 4 (84.2) per Pro Football Focus he picked off three passes, broke up nine more passes and ended the season with 55 tackles (35 solo).
The award is named in honor of Chuck Bednarik, an NFL Hall of Fame linebacker and center who played his entire career with the Philadelphia Eagles. Known as one of the last “60-minute men” for playing both offense and defense, Bednarik exemplified toughness, excellence, and leadership on the field—values that the award bearing his name seeks to recognize in today’s top defensive players.
The Bednarik Award is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which encompasses college football’s most prestigious awards. The NCFAA’s 25 awards have honored more than 900 recipients since 1935. This season, 12 NCFAA awards will honor national players of the week each Tuesday.
The Maxwell Football Club was founded in 1935 and is the oldest football organization of its kind in America. The Club recognizes excellence in performance at the high school, collegiate, and professional levels of the game. The Maxwell Club is also deeply involved and fully vested in the community through programs to promote academic excellence, community volunteerism, and leadership. High school student-athletes around the country have an opportunity to participate in MFC Showcase events, free of charge, through the generosity of our corporate partners, NFL Foundation, College Sports Communicators, SRA Inc., Vertical Raise, Quinco Inc., the ETC Foundation, and the Bradley Law Firm.
