PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – A trio of Fighting Illini standouts – RB Chase Brown, DB Devon Witherspoon, and DL Jer'Zhan Newton – were named among the top offensive and defensive players in the nation on Tuesday when the Maxwell Football Club released the 2022 semifinalists for the 86th Maxwell Award for the Collegiate Player of the Year and the 28th Chuck Bednarik Award for the Outstanding Defensive Player of the Year.
Brown, the nation's leading rusher, is one of 20 offensive players, representing 17 programs, on the Maxwell semifinalist list; Witherspoon and Newton – anchors of the Illini's top-ranked defense - are two of 20 players from 18 programs, on the Bednarik semifinalist list.
Illinois is one of seven programs with representatives on both lists, and the Illini's three honorees are tied with Ohio State for the most in the Big Ten and second nationally only to Alabama's four. Illinois and Alabama are the only two programs with multiple representatives on the Bednarik list.
Brown, the nation's leading rusher, is one of 20 offensive players, representing 17 programs, on the Maxwell semifinalist list; Witherspoon and Newton – anchors of the Illini's top-ranked defense - are two of 20 players from 18 programs, on the Bednarik semifinalist list.
Illinois is one of seven programs with representatives on both lists, and the Illini's three honorees are tied with Ohio State for the most in the Big Ten and second nationally only to Alabama's four. Illinois and Alabama are the only two programs with multiple representatives on the Bednarik list.
CHASE BROWN | MAXWELL AWARD SEMIFINALIST
- Nation's leading rusher with 1,208 yards
- Only the fourth Power-5 running back since 2000 to rush for 100+ yards in his first eight games while leading his team to a 7-1 record or better (Ezekiel Elliott, 2015 Ohio State; Adrian Peterson, 2004 Oklahoma; JJ Arrington, 2004 Cal)
- Leads in the nation in rushes of 10+ yards (36) and 100-yard games (8)
- Second in the nation in all-purpose yards (1,328) without having return duties
- Second in the nation in yards after contact (707) and forced missed tackles (60), according to PFF
- Ranks fifth in the nation with 57 first down runs, according to PFF
- Leads the nation in rushing attempts per game (28.0)
- Has rushed for 100+ yards in an Illinois record nine straight games
- The only player in the nation to rush for 100+ in his last nine team games
- Ranks fifth on Illinois career rushing list with 2,771 yards
- No. 8 on the NCAA's active career leaders rushing list with 3,123 yards (including 352 as a freshman at Western Michigan)
DEVON WITHERSPOON | BEDNARIK AWARD SEMIFINALIST
- Midseason All-American by PFF (1st Team) and The Athletic (2nd Team)
- Jim Thorpe Award Semifinalist
- Highest graded cornerback in the nation by PFF (89.5)
- Has the best coverage grade in the country according to PFF (90.8)
- Ranks tied for first nationally in forced incompletions by PFF (13)
- Has a 31 percent reception percentage against, the No. 3 mark in the country and best in the Big Ten among cornerbacks
- Ranks second in the nation in passes defended per game (1.8)
JER'ZHAN NEWTON | BEDNARIK AWARD SEMIFINALIST
- Midseason All-American by the Associated Press and The Athletic
- Rotary Lombardi Award Watch List
- No. 4-graded interior defensive lineman in the nation by PFF (min. 250 snaps)
- Leads the Illini in tackles (39.0) and sacks (5.0), and is tied for the team lead in tackles for loss (9.0)
- First in the nation in QB hits with 15 and is second in the nation in QB pressures with 39, according to PFF (min. 250 snaps)
MAXWELL & BEDNARIK AWARD SEMIFINALIST
Maxwell- Bryce Young – Alabama, QB
- Jahmyr Gibbs – Alabama, RB
- Brock Bowers – Georgia, TE
- Chase Brown – Illinois, RB
- Blake Corum – Michigan, RB
- Drake Maye – North Carolina, QB
- Michael Mayer – Notre Dame, TE
- CJ Stroud – Ohio State, QB
- Marvin Harrison Jr. – Ohio State, WR
- Bo Nix – Oregon, QB
- Israel Abanikanda – Pittsburgh, RB
- Max Duggan – TCU, QB
- Hendon Hooker – Tennessee, QB
- Jalin Hyatt – Tennessee, WR
- Bijan Robinson – Texas, RB
- DeWayne McBride – UAB, RB
- Zach Charbonnet – UCLA, RB
- Caleb Williams – USC, QB
- Cam Rising – Utah, QB
- Michael Penix Jr. – Washington QB
- Will Anderson Jr. – Alabama, LB
- Kool-Aid McKinstry – Alabama, CB
- Drew Sanders – Arkansas, LB
- Ivan Pace Jr. – Cincinnati, LB
- Tyler Davis – Clemson, DT
- Christopher Smith – Georgia, S
- Jer'Zhan Newton – Illinois, DT
- Devon Witherspoon – Illinois, CB
- Jack Campbell – Iowa, LB
- Felix Anudike-Uzomah – Kansas State, DE
- Mike Morris – Michigan, DE
- Emmanuel Forbes – Mississippi State, CB
- Tommy Eichenberg – Ohio State, LB
- Jason Henderson – Old Dominion, LB
- Joey Porter Jr. – Penn State, CB
- Calijah Kancey – Pitt, DT
- Tyree Wilson – Texas Tech, LB
- Tuli Tuipulotu – USC, DT
- Clark Phillips III – Utah, CB
- John Torchio – Wisconsin, S
