North Carolina State University Athletics
Linebackers Sean Brown and Caden Fordham Named to Bednarik Award Watch List
8/11/2025 12:00:00 PM | Football
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – NC State linebackers Sean Brown and Caden Fordham have been recognized as two of the top defenders in college football after being placed on the 31st Chuck Bednarik Award Watch List.
Presented by The Maxwell Football Club, the Bednarik Award has been presented to the College Defensive Player of the Year since 1994 and is named in honor of Chuck "Concrete Charlie" Bednarik. Bednarik 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.
They follow former linebacker Payton Wilson, who won the award in 2023, becoming the first Wolfpack player to take home the award.
Brown ranked ninth in the league with 7.4 tackles per game and was an honorable mention 2024 All-ACC performer. He led the Wolfpack squad with 96 total stops and led the ACC and ranked fifth nationally with three recovered fumbles.
Before suffering a season-ending injury in the middle of the season, Fordham was the leading tackler on the Wolfpack defense. He set a career high against NIU with 14 stops.
The inclusion of the Wolfpack linebackers makes it five straight seasons that an NC State defender has been recognized on the prestigious watch list.
Thus far, this preseason, NC State has had six players named to preseason watch lists which are listed below:
Wolfpack Preseason Accolades:
Maxwell Award: CJ Bailey
Paul Hornung: Hollywood Smothers
AllState Wuerffel Trophy: Brandon Cleveland
Doak Walker: Hollywood Smothers
Bilenikoff Award: Justin Joly
John Mackey: Justin Joly
Chuck Bednarik: Sean Brown & Caden Fordham
Presented by The Maxwell Football Club, the Bednarik Award has been presented to the College Defensive Player of the Year since 1994 and is named in honor of Chuck "Concrete Charlie" Bednarik. Bednarik 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.
They follow former linebacker Payton Wilson, who won the award in 2023, becoming the first Wolfpack player to take home the award.
Brown ranked ninth in the league with 7.4 tackles per game and was an honorable mention 2024 All-ACC performer. He led the Wolfpack squad with 96 total stops and led the ACC and ranked fifth nationally with three recovered fumbles.
Before suffering a season-ending injury in the middle of the season, Fordham was the leading tackler on the Wolfpack defense. He set a career high against NIU with 14 stops.
The inclusion of the Wolfpack linebackers makes it five straight seasons that an NC State defender has been recognized on the prestigious watch list.
Thus far, this preseason, NC State has had six players named to preseason watch lists which are listed below:
Wolfpack Preseason Accolades:
Maxwell Award: CJ Bailey
Paul Hornung: Hollywood Smothers
AllState Wuerffel Trophy: Brandon Cleveland
Doak Walker: Hollywood Smothers
Bilenikoff Award: Justin Joly
John Mackey: Justin Joly
Chuck Bednarik: Sean Brown & Caden Fordham
Players Mentioned
LB
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TE
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RB
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