Notre Dame football: Four Irish on Bednarik list

Four Notre Dame players were selected to the preseason watch list for the Bednarik Award, which is given to college football’s defensive player of the year.

Named were senior cornerback Bennett Jackson, senior nose guard Louis Nix, senior outside linebacker Prince Shembo and junior defensive end Stephon Tuitt.

Nix and Tuitt also were named to the Maxwell Award watch list. The Maxwell is presented to the college football player of the year.

The four ND players on the Bednarik watch list are the most of any program. Alabama, Florida, Ohio State and Stanford each had three players selected.