Per GoBearcats:
The Maxwell Football Club announced that Cincinnati football redshirt sophomore defensive lineman Dontay Corleone has been named to the national preseason watch list for the 2023 Chuck Bednarik Award.
Since 1994, the Bednarik Award has been presented annually to the most outstanding defensive player in college football.
Corleone is one of 85 defensive standouts selected and one of 11 from the Big 12. He joins Texas Tech’s Jaylon Hutchings as the only conference defensive tackles recognized.
This is the latest of four preseason watch list candidacies for Corleone, who was recently selected for both the 2023 Bronko Nagurski Trophy and Outland Trophy preseason watch lists, in addition to being tabbed a “player to watch” for the 2023 Walter Camp Trophy last week.
He was also recently named to a Preseason Second-Team All-American by The Athletic and Preseason All-Big 12 by conference media.
Corleone was a key piece for a defensive unit that ranked fifth nationally with 4.61 yards per play allowed and totaled 45 tackles, 5.5 TFLs, three sacks, two fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles in only 11 games in 2022 to earn All-AAC First Team and Third Team All-America selections from the Associated Press (AP) and Pro Football Focus (PFF). He was also an AFCA and College Football News Freshman All-American.
