Underdogs raid the 2016 Bednarik & Maxwell Award Watch List

One of the best things about college football in July are ridiculously long award watch lists because, quite frankly, it's the only thing we got. On Tuesday morning, The Maxwell Football Club released its watch lists for the Maxwell Award (best over all player) and the Bednarik Award (best defensive player).

Power Five celebrities usually win these awards, but Underdogs have achieved recent success with the Maxwell Football Club. Tyler Matakevich of the Temple Owls was year's Bednarik winner, the first ever from a non-Power Five program. The last Underdog to win a Maxwell Award was Temple's Steve Joachim way back in 1974. (If you count BYU as an Underdog, Ty Detmer won it in 1990.)

This year, a number of Underdogs make the Bednarik/Maxwell 2016 Watch Lists. See if your guy is on one.

The Chuck Bednarik Award 2016 Underdog Watch List

Sean Chandler, CB, Temple Owls

Trey Hendrickson, DE, Florida Atlantic Owls

Nate Holley, S, Kent State Golden Flashes

Damontae Kazee, CB, San Diego State Aztecs

Calvin Munson, LB, San Diego State Aztecs

Deatrick Nichols, CB, South Florida Bulls

Larry Ogunjobi, DT, Charlotte 49ers

Ja'Von Jones, DE, Arkansas State Red Wolves

Tanzel Smart, DE, Tulane Green Wave

Jamar Summers, CB Connecticut Huskies

Steven Taylor, LB, Houston Cougars

Austin Valdez, LB, Bowling Green Falcons

The Maxwell Award 2016 Underdog Watch List

Mike Boone, RB, Cincinnati Bearcats

Joel Bouagnon, RB, Northern Illinois Huskies

Matt Breida, RB, Georgia Southern Eagles

Marcus Cox, RB, Appalachian St. Mountaineers

Corey Davis, WR, Western Michigan Broncos

Taysom Hill, QB, BYU Cougars

Brian Hill, RB, Wyoming Cowboys

Kareem Hunt, RB, Toledo Rockets

Richie James, WR, Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders

Aaron Jones, RB, UTEP Miners

Gunner Kiel, QB, Cincinnati Bearcats

Marlon Mack, RB, South Florida Bulls

Elijah McGuire, RB, Louisiana Ragin Cajuns

Jeremy McNichols, RB, Boise State Broncos

Nick Mullins, QB, Southern Miss Golden Eagles

Jacobi Owens, RB, Air Force Falcons

Donnel Pumphrey, RB, San Diego State Aztecs

Larry Rose, RB, New Mexico State Aggies

Cooper Rush, QB, Central Michigan Chippewas

Brett Rypien, QB, Boise State Broncos

Ito Smith, RB, Southern Miss Golden Eagles

Brent Stockstill, QB, Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders

Taywan Taylor, WR, Western Kentucky Hilltoppers

Jahad Thomas, RB, Temple Owls

P.J. Walker, QB, Temple Owls

Greg Ward Jr., QB, Houston Cougars

Marquis Young, RB, Massachusetts Minutemen

Notes and Observations

Only one Sun Belt player made the Bednarik List, (Ja'Von Rolland-Jones), but a whopping four Sun Belt running backs appear on the Maxwell List – Larry Rose III, Marcus Cox, Matt Breida and Elijah McGuire.

The Temple Owls and San Diego Aztecs each have three reps on the two lists, more than Underdog darlings Houston (2) and Boise State (2).

Eight Underdog QBs make the list (if we're counting BYU), five WRs, and 16 running backs.