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UNC Football defensive duo named to the Bednarik Award watch list

Kaimon Rucker and Power Echols honored by making the Bednarik Award preseason watch list

By Charles Maxwell

Nov 11, 2023; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils running back Jaylen Coleman (22) runs as North Carolina Tar Heels linebacker Kaimon Rucker (25) and defensive back Don Chapman (2) defend in the fourth quarter at Kenan Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 11, 2023; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils running back Jaylen Coleman (22) runs as North Carolina Tar Heels linebacker Kaimon Rucker (25) and defensive back Don Chapman (2) defend in the fourth quarter at Kenan Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports / Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
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We are now just 12 days away from the start of the 2024 FBS season, with Week 0 slated for Aug. 24. As the preseason award watch lists continue to roll in, UNC football players continue to be honored.

The most recently revealed watch list is for the Chuck Bednarik Award, which has been given annually since 1995 to the top defensive player in the nation. Former award winners include college football greats like Charles Woodson, Aaron Donald, and Tar Heel legend and now Hall of Famer Julius Peppers.

We discovered Monday that North Carolina defensive end Kaimon Rucker and linebacker Power Echols have been named to the 2024 Bednarik Watch List.

The fifth-year senior, Rucker, started all 13 games in his 2023 campaign and finished the year with 61 tackles, 8.5 sacks, 15 tackles for a loss, one forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. He was named to second-team All-ACC and looks to make his first first-team appearance this season.

At the ACC kickoff event in July, Rucker expressed his feelings on this upcoming season's defensive unit and what he hopes to see in 2024.

"We need to be the defense everybody talks about, not because of how many rushing or passing yards we gave up, or how we performed in the past five years. We need to be talked about because of what we can do, the talent we have in our defense, the hard work and determination we have with the guys on our side. If we can do that, we can genuinely be the best defense in college football."

While Rucker is prepped to hold down the Tar Heels defensive line, Echols hopes to do the same for the North Carolina linebacker group.

Echols completed his junior season with the Tar Heels, totaling 102 tackles, two forced fumbles, and an interception. The Charlotte native seems excited for the 2024 season and especially happy to work with new UNC football defensive coordinator Geoff Collins, who replaced Gene Chizik in January.

"With Coach Collins, he just brings a different kind of fire and edge each and every day. He's real personable. … It's not hard to give your all to a guy like that." 

Good luck to the pair of Tar Heel defenders in the 2024 season. Hopefully, one of them will win the Bednarik Award at the end of the year.

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