South Carolina football senior named to preseason award watch list

The Maxwell Football Club announced on Monday that South Carolina football senior defensive tackle Tonka Hemingway was 1 of 90 nominees selected to the preseason watch list for the Chuck Bednarik Award.

Hemingway, a fifth-year player in the South Carolina football program, is a Palmetto State native who has flashed brilliance in his career as a versatile defensive lineman. Capable of playing defensive tackle or defensive end (especially in the Gamecocks' 3-3-5 set), Hemingway has gotten his most work at tackle and is poised to have a big year as part of a deep defensive tackle rotation for position coach Travian Robertson.

The Bednarik Award has been given out to the best defensive player in college football (FBS level only) every year since 1994. It is named for legendary Penn Quakers and Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Chuck Bednarik who is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame and Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Below is the full list of players on the Bednarik Award's preseason watch list:

CJ Nunnally, Akron Zips defensive end
Deontae Lawson, Alabama Crimson Tide linebacker
Malachi Moore, Alabama Crimson Tide safety
Tacario Davis, Arizona Wildcats cornerback
Landon Jackson, Arkansas Razorbacks defensive end
Eugene Asante, Auburn Tigers linebacker
Ahmed Hassanein, Boise State Broncos defensive end
Jordan Oladokun, Bowling Green Falcons cornerback
Tyler Batty, BYU Cougars defensive end
Dontay Corleon, Cincinnati Bearcats defensive tackle
Peter Woods, Clemson Tigers defensive lineman
Barrett Carter, Clemson Tigers linebacker
BJ Green, Colorado Buffaloes defensive end/outside linebacker
Travis Hunter, Colorado Buffaloes cornerback
Tre Freeman, Duke Blue Devils linebacker
Shavon Revel, East Carolina Pirates cornerback
Shemar James, Florida Gators linebacker
Patrick Payton, Florida State Seminoles defensive end
Joshua Farmer, Florida State Seminoles defensive tackle
Mykel Williams, Georgia Bulldogs defensive end
Smael Mondon, Georgia Bulldogs linebacker
Malaki Starks, Georgia Bulldogs safety
Sebastian Castro, Iowa Hawkeyes defensive back
Jay Higgins, Iowa Hawkeyes linebacker
Nick Jackson, Iowa Hawkeyes linebacker
Jeremiah Cooper, Iowa State Cyclones safety
Cobee Bryant, Kansas Jayhawks cornerback
Austin Moore, Kansas State Wildcats linebacker
Maxwell Hairston, Kentucky Wildcats cornerback
Deone Walker, Kentucky Wildcats defensive tackle
Quincy Riley, Louisville Cardinals cornerback
Ashton Gillotte, Louisville defensive end
Harold Perkins, LSU Tigers defensive end/outside linebacker
Chandler Martin, Memphis Tigers linebacker
Rueben Bain, Jr., Miami Hurricanes defensive end
Francisco Mauigoa, Miami Hurricanes linebacker
Matt Salopek, Miami (OH) RedHawks linebacker
Will Johnson, Michigan Wolverines cornerback
Mason Graham, Michigan Wolverines defensive tackle
Kenneth Grant, Michigan Wolverines defensive tackle
Cody Lindenberg, Minnesota Golden Gophers linebacker
Johnny Walker, Jr., Missouri Tigers defensive end/outside linebacker
Colin Ramos, Navy Midshipmen linebacker
Davin Vann, NC State Wolfpack defensive end
Nash Hutmacher, Nebraska Cornhuskers defensive tackle
Kaimon Rucker, North Carolina Tar Heels defensive end
Power Echols, North Carolina Tar Heels linebacker
Xander Mueller, Northwestern Wildcats linebacker
Benjamin Morrison, Notre Dame Fighting Irish cornerback
Howard Cross III, Notre Dame Fighting Irish defensive tackle
Xavier Watts, Notre Dame Fighting Irish safety
Denzel Burke, Ohio State Buckeyes cornerback
Jack Sawyer, Ohio State Buckeyes defensive end
Caleb Downs, Ohio State Buckeyes safety
Danny Stutsman, Oklahoma Sooners linebacker
Billy Bowman, Jr., Oklahoma Sooners safety
Nick Martin, Oklahoma State Cowboys linebacker
Collin Oliver, Oklahoma State Cowboys linebacker
Jason Henderson, Old Dominion Monarchs linebacker
Princely Umanmielen, Ole Miss Rebels defensive end
Jabbar Muhammad, Oregon Ducks cornerback
Abdul Carter, Penn State Nittany Lions defensive end/outside linebacker
Kevin Winson, Jr., Penn State Nittany Lions safety
Donovan McMillon, Pittsburgh Panthers safety
Dillon Thieneman, Purdue Boilermakers safety
Elijah Roberts, SMU Mustangs defensive end
Jaden Voisin, South Alabama Jaguars safety
Tonka Hemingway, South Carolina Gamecocks defensive lineman
Marlowe Wax, Syracuse Orange linebacker
Namdi Oblazor, TCU Horned Frogs linebacker
James Pearce, Jr., Tennessee Volunteers defensive end/outside linebacker
Jahdae Barron, Texas Longhorns defensive back
Nic Scourton, Texas A&M Aggies defensive end
Shemar Turner, Texas A&M Aggies defensive lineman
Ben Bell, Texas State Bobcats defensive end
Maxen Hook, Toledo Rockets safety
Patrick Jenkins, Tulane Green Wave defensive tackle
Lee Hunter, UCF Golden Knights defensive tackle
Jackson Woodard, UNLV Runnin' Rebels linebacker
Bear Alexander, Southern Cal Trojans defensive tackle
Junior Tafuna, Utah Utes defensive tackle
Ike Larsen, Utah State Aggies safety
CJ Taylor, Vanderbilt Commodores linebacker
Jonas Sanker, Virginia Cavaliers safety
Antwaun Powell-Ryland, Virginia Tech Hokies defensive end
Aeneas Peebles, Virginia Tech Hokies defensive tackle
Jasheen Davis, Wake Forest Demon Deacons, defensive end
Ricardo Hallman, Wisconsin Badgers cornerback
Hunter Wohler, Wisconsin Badgers safety
Jordan Bertagnole, Wyoming Cowboys defensive tackle