Three Ducks On Bednarik Award Watch List

PHILADELPHIA – The Maxwell Football Club announced on Friday that Oregon defensive standouts Brandon Finney Jr., Matayo Uiagalelei and A'Mauri Washington are on the preseason watch list for the 2026 Chuck Bednarik Award, which is presented to the outstanding defensive player in college football.

The Bednarik Award has been presented to the 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 multi-year All Pro linebacker and center for the Philadelphia Eagles.

Finney and Washington were previously on the watch list for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, which also recognizes the nation's top defensive player, and they were both named preseason all-Americans by both the Associated Press and the Walter Camp Football Foundation.

The Ducks came in at No. 2 in the preseason Associated Press poll this week, the highest opening ranking in program history. Oregon will kick off the 2026 season against Boise State on Saturday, Sept. 5, in Autzen Stadium (12:30 p.m., CBS). Season and single-game tickets are available at www.GoDucks.com/fbtix.

DB Brandon Finney Jr.
» 2026 Walter Camp Preseason All-America first team
» 2026 Associated Press Preseason All-America second team
» 2026 Bronko Nagurski Trophy watch list
» 2026 Chuck Bednarik Award watch list
» 2026 Paycom Jim Thorpe Award watch list
» 2025 FWAA freshman all-America
» 2025 All-Big Ten second team (coaches, AP)
» 2026 Capital One Orange Bowl Defensive MVP
» Started all 15 games for the Ducks as a true freshman in 2025.
» Led Oregon with three interceptions and eight pass breakups while adding 42 tackles, 3.0 TFLs, a sack, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.
» Two of three interceptions came in the CFP Quarterfinal; also had a pick-six against Indiana on Oct. 11.
» Led all Big Ten cornerbacks and tied for 11th among FBS cornerbacks in reception rate allowed at just 40.0 percent.

OLB Matayo Uiagalalei
» 2026 Chuck Bednarik Award watch list
» 2026 Lombardi Award watch list
» 2025 Lombardi Award semifinalist
» 2025 All-Big Ten honorable mention
» 34 tackles, 9.5 TFLs, 6.0 sacks, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery in 2025.
» Led the Ducks with 52 total pressures generated in 2025, second-most in the Big Ten and No. 17 in the nation.
» Led the Big Ten during the 2024 regular season with a career-high 10.5 sacks.

DL A'Mauri Washington
» 2026 Associated Press Preseason All-America first team
» 2026 Walter Camp Preseason All-America second team
» 2026 Bronko Nagurski Trophy watch list
» 2026 Chuck Bednarik Award watch list
» 2026 Outland Trophy watch list
» 2026 Lombardi Award watch list
» 2025 All-Big Ten third team (coaches, media)
» Started all 15 games in 2025, finishing with career highs of 33 tackles, 4.5 TFLs, 1.5 sacks and eight pass breakups.
» At last one tackle in 12 of 15 games with nine multi-tackle performances; six games with a TFL.
» Eight pass breakups were tied for the most among all FBS defensive linemen, and most among Big Ten defensive linemen.
» Third on the team with 22 total pressures generated, according to Pro Football Focus.

Oregon 2026 Preseason Honors
Walter Camp Preseason All-America - DB Brandon Finney Jr. (1st), OLB Teitum Tuioti (1st), TE Jamari Johnson (2nd), DL A'Mauri Washington (2nd)
Big Ten Preseason Honors - QB Dante Moore, DB Koi Perich
Maxwell Award Watch List - QB Dante Moore
Outland Trophy Watch List - DL Bear Alexander, OL Iapani Laloulu, DL A'Mauri Washington
Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List - DB Brandon Finney Jr., DB Koi Perich, DL A'Mauri Washington
John Mackey Award Watch List - TE Jamari Johnson
Rimington Trophy Watch List - OL Iapani Laloulu
Paul Hornung Award Watch List - DB Koi Perich
Lombardi Award Watch List - TE Jamari Johnson, OL Iapani Laloulu, OLB Teitum Tuioti, OLB Matayo Uiagalelei, DL A'Mauri Washington
Wuerffel Trophy Watch List - QB Dante Moore
Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Watch List - DB Brandon Finney Jr., DB Koi Perich
Walter Camp Player of the Year Watch List - QB Dante Moore
Doak Walker Award Watch List - RB Jordon Davison
Associated Press Preseason All-America - QB Dante Moore (1st), DB Koi Perich (1st), DL A'Mauri Washington (1st), DB Brandon Finney Jr. (2nd)
Biletnikoff Award Watch List - WR Iverson Hooks, TE Jamari Johnson
Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Watch List - QB Dante Moore
Davey O'Brien Award Watch List - QB Dante Moore
Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Watch List - OL Dave Iuli, OL Iapani Laloulu, QB Dylan Raiola, OLB Teitum Tuioti, OLB Matayo Uiagalelei, OL Douglas Utu
Chuck Bednarik Award - DB Brandon Finney Jr., OLB Matayo Uiagalelei, DL A'Mauri Washington