Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG - Virginia Tech defensive linemen Antwaun Powell-Ryland and Aeneas Peebles have been named to the watch list for the 30th Chuck Bednarik Award presented annually to the outstanding defensive player in college football by the Maxwell Football Club.
Powell-Ryland (6-3, 252) played in 13 games in 2023, making 12 starts. The Portsmouth, Virginia native registered 40 tackles (23 solo) and tallied 9.5 sacks, which ranked second in the ACC and tied for 14th in the country. APR also recorded 14.5 TFLs, ranking 24th in the country, fifth in the ACC.
Powell-Ryland was named to the 2023 All-ACC Second Team and a 2023 Phil Steele Honorable Mention All-American.
Peebles (6-1, 290) was a third-team All-ACC selection last year at Duke, despite making just one start. He was the Blue Devils’ co-leader with 8.5 tackles for a loss and ranked second in sacks. Pro Football Focus gave him an 86.1 grade in 2023, the second-best mark among returning interior linemen in the ACC.
The Raleigh, North Carolina native co-led Duke in TFLs (8.5) and ranked second on the Blue Devils in sacks (4.0). Peebles registered 40 tackles (11 solo), four quarterback hurries, two pass breakups, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery on the season.
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.
Watch this top-tier duo play along the Hokies' defensive line during the home opener against Marshall. Get your tickets today.