University of North Carolina Athletics

M.J. Stewart
Stewart Named To Bednarik Watch List
July 10, 2017 | Football
PHILADELPHIA --- The Maxwell Football Club announced its watch list for the  23rd annual Chuck Bednarik Award Monday, and North Carolina senior cornerback M.J. Stewart is among those in consideration for the honor.
Stewart, a 6-0, 200-pound native of Arlington, Virginia, led the team with 11 pass breakups and finished sixth with 59 tackles as a junior. Stewart ranks third all-time at UNC with 29 pass breakups, including 25 over the last two seasons. He was an honorable-mention All-ACC selection in 2016.
The Bednarik Award has been presented to the College Defensive Player of the Year since 1995. Chuck Bednarik, former standout at Penn and with the Philadelphia Eagles, is a member of both the College Football Hall of Fame's Class of '69 and the NFL Hall of Fame's Class of '67.
Semifinalists for the Bednarik Award will be announced October 30, while the three finalists will be unveiled November 20. The winner of the 2017 Bednarik Award will be announced as part of the Home Depot College Football Awards Show held on December 7. The formal presentations of these awards will be made at the Maxwell Football Club Awards Gala hosted by Tropicana Hotel & Casino Atlantic City on March 9, 2018.Â
Stewart, a 6-0, 200-pound native of Arlington, Virginia, led the team with 11 pass breakups and finished sixth with 59 tackles as a junior. Stewart ranks third all-time at UNC with 29 pass breakups, including 25 over the last two seasons. He was an honorable-mention All-ACC selection in 2016.
The Bednarik Award has been presented to the College Defensive Player of the Year since 1995. Chuck Bednarik, former standout at Penn and with the Philadelphia Eagles, is a member of both the College Football Hall of Fame's Class of '69 and the NFL Hall of Fame's Class of '67.
Semifinalists for the Bednarik Award will be announced October 30, while the three finalists will be unveiled November 20. The winner of the 2017 Bednarik Award will be announced as part of the Home Depot College Football Awards Show held on December 7. The formal presentations of these awards will be made at the Maxwell Football Club Awards Gala hosted by Tropicana Hotel & Casino Atlantic City on March 9, 2018.Â
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