PHILADELPHIA – Virginia Tech LB Rayshard Ashby and CB Caleb Farley were named to the Bednarik Award Watch List Monday, given annually to the outstanding defensive player in college football.
Ashby (5-10, 237) was named ACC Linebacker of the Week five times in 2019. The Chesterfield, Virginia native was the only defensive player in the league to win that many ACC POW honors in 2019. Ashby was a second-team All-ACC selection and finished third in the voting for ACC Defensive Player of the Year. Ashby led the league with 120 total tackles and ranked third in the ACC with 17.0 tackles for loss. Ashby led a VT defense that helped the Hokies become the first ACC team to post back-to-back shutouts against Power Five foes for the first time since 1978 and holding Georgia Tech and Pitt scoreless in consecutive outings.
The mike linebacker has also been included on the Watch List for the Butkus Award, given annually to the nation's premier linebacker.
A summary of Ashby's season honors earned in 2019:
All-ACC Second Team
Phil Steele First-Team All-ACC
PFF College ACC Team of the Week (9/2)
ACC Linebacker of the Week (9/2)
ACC Linebacker of the Week (10/7)
ACC Linebacker of the Week (10/21)
ACC Linebacker of the Week (11/4)
PFF National Defense of the Week (11/24)
ACC Linebacker of the Week (11/25)
PFF College ACC Team of the Week (11/25)
PFF College ACC Team of the Year (12/2)
TD Club of Richmond LB of the Year (12/16)
Farley (6-2, 207) blossomed into one of the ACC's top cornerbacks in just his second season playing that position after serving as a high school quarterback. A first-team All-ACC pick in 2019, he led the ACC with 16 passes defensed and was amongst the nation's best averaging 1.5 passes defensed per game. He was tied for second in the ACC with four INTs and registered a 17-yard INT return TD in a 45-0 shutout of Georgia Tech (11/16). The Hickory, N.C. native posted a career-high four passes defensed in a 43-41 six-OT win vs. North Carolina (10/19).
A summary of Ashby's season honors earned in 2019:
All-ACC First Team
Phil Steele First-Team All-ACC
PFF College ACC Team of the Week (10/8)
ESPN.com All-ACC Midseason Team
PFF College ACC Team of the Week (11/11)
PFF College ACC Team of the Week (11/18)
PFF College National Team of the Week (11/18)
PFF College ACC Team of the Week (11/25)
PFF College ACC Team of the Year (12/2)
TD Club of Richmond DB of the Year (12/16)