Rhodes Named to Bednarik Award Preseason Watch List

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Arkansas senior DL Quincy Rhodes Jr. has been named to the 2026 Chuck Bednarik Award Preseason Watch List, the Maxwell Football Club announced Friday morning.

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.

The Bednarik Award watch list will once again incorporate a broad spectrum of Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) programs and conferences from coast to coast, led by three returning 2025 semifinalists: Quincy Rhodes Jr. (Arkansas), Xavier Atkins (Auburn), and Leonard Moore (Notre Dame).

The North Little Rock, Ark., native is coming off a breakout junior season in 2025, tallying 44 total tackles with a team-leading 15.5 tackles for loss in addition to eight sacks, six quarterback hurries, and a forced fumble. His 15.5 tackles for loss were the most by an Arkansas defender since Trey Flowers (15.5 TFL) in 2015. He also became the first Hog to register double-digit tackles for loss in a season since Landon Jackson (13.5 TFL) in 2023 and was the first Razorback to record three multi-sack games in a season since Tre Williams in 2021. Rhodes finished the regular season ranking 13th nationally and second in the SEC in tackles for loss per game (1.23) and 23rd nationally in sacks per game (0.67).

Rhodes tallied six tackles, including 4.5 tackles for loss, one sack, and a forced fumble against Mississippi State on Nov. 1. He was one of three Power 4 defenders to register 4.5 tackles for loss in a game last season, alongside Stephen Daley of Indiana and Caden Curry of Ohio State. Additionally, his 4.5 tackles for loss were the most in a single game by an Arkansas defender since 2005. Rhodes also collected four tackles for loss and a pair of sacks at Memphis on Sept. 20.

Heading into the 2026 season, Rhodes’ 1.29 tackles for loss per game and 15.5 tackles for loss in 2025 rank second among SEC returnees, trailing only Auburn LB Xavier Atkins, while his 77 tackle-for-loss yards a year ago rank first.

Semifinalists for the Chuck Bednarik Award will be announced November 10, 2026, while the three finalists for the award will be unveiled November 24, 2026. The winner of the 32nd Chuck Bednarik Award will be announced as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show held on December 10, 2026. The formal presentations of the Maxwell Award will be made at the Maxwell Football Club Awards on Saturday, March 13, 2027, at the Coca Cola Roxy Theater in Atlanta, Georgia.

Rhodes Jr. has garnered a plethora of Preseason All-SEC honors heading into the 2026 campaign. He previously collected preseason second-team all-league laurels from Athlon Sports, SEC media members and SEC Coaches. He was also a third-team preseason selection by Phil Steele and was named to the 2027 Panini Senior Bowl Top 300 List.

Arkansas opens the season inside Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium against North Alabama on Sept. 5 at 3:15 p.m. on SEC Network. Season and single-game tickets are on sale now. To see available seating inventory online, click here, or call the Razorback Ticket Center at 479.575.5151.