Michigan State University Athletics
Jordan Hall Named to Bednarik Award Watch List
8/21/2026 1:12:00 PM | Football
EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State senior linebacker Jordan Hall has landed on the watch list for the 32nd Chuck Bednarik Award, which is presented annually by the Maxwell Football Club to the outstanding defensive player in college football.
Michigan State head football coach Pat Fitzgerald won the first two Bednarik Awards during the 1995 and 1996 seasons as a linebacker at Northwestern. Fitzgerald is still one of only two players in the history of the Bednarik Award to claim the honor twice (Paul Posluszny, Penn State).
Hall has been previously named to watch lists for the Butkus Award (nation's top linebacker) and Wuerffel Trophy (premier award for community service in college football). He also is Michigan State's nominee for the AFCA Good Works Team for the second year in row.
A three-year letterwinner, Hall was voted a team captain as a junior in 2025 and will look to lead the room once again in his fourth season in East Lansing. The Fredericksburg, Virginia, native was an honorable mention All-Big Ten pick last season after ranking first on the team and 11th in the Big Ten during the regular season with a career-high 88 tackles, including 4.5 for losses with 2.5 sacks. He has collected 179 tackles, 13 TFLs and seven sacks over the course of his 35 games at Michigan State.
Hall landed on Phil Steele's preseason All-Big Ten First Team over the summer.
A two-time Academic All-Big Ten selection, Hall's passion for leadership and development is highlighted by his three-year involvement on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), in which he is currently serving as co-president. The criminal justice major also had an internship with the Lansing Police Department over the summer.
Hall and the Spartans will open the 2026 season on Friday, Sept. 4 against Toledo at 8 p.m. in East Lansing.
ABOUT THE CHUCK BEDNARIK AWARD
The Bednarik Award has been presented to the College Defensive Player of the Year since 1995 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.
Michigan State head football coach Pat Fitzgerald won the first two Bednarik Awards during the 1995 and 1996 seasons as a linebacker at Northwestern. Fitzgerald is still one of only two players in the history of the Bednarik Award to claim the honor twice (Paul Posluszny, Penn State).
Hall has been previously named to watch lists for the Butkus Award (nation's top linebacker) and Wuerffel Trophy (premier award for community service in college football). He also is Michigan State's nominee for the AFCA Good Works Team for the second year in row.
A three-year letterwinner, Hall was voted a team captain as a junior in 2025 and will look to lead the room once again in his fourth season in East Lansing. The Fredericksburg, Virginia, native was an honorable mention All-Big Ten pick last season after ranking first on the team and 11th in the Big Ten during the regular season with a career-high 88 tackles, including 4.5 for losses with 2.5 sacks. He has collected 179 tackles, 13 TFLs and seven sacks over the course of his 35 games at Michigan State.
Hall landed on Phil Steele's preseason All-Big Ten First Team over the summer.
A two-time Academic All-Big Ten selection, Hall's passion for leadership and development is highlighted by his three-year involvement on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), in which he is currently serving as co-president. The criminal justice major also had an internship with the Lansing Police Department over the summer.
Hall and the Spartans will open the 2026 season on Friday, Sept. 4 against Toledo at 8 p.m. in East Lansing.
ABOUT THE CHUCK BEDNARIK AWARD
The Bednarik Award has been presented to the College Defensive Player of the Year since 1995 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.
Players Mentioned
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