Sports
Texas Tech football lands three on the 2026 Bednarik Award watch list - Red Raiders Wire
Three Texas Tech defenders landed spots on the 2026 Chuck Bednarik Award watch list, putting the Red Raiders in a tie for the most program representatives of any team in the country. A.J.
A.J. Holmes, Ben Roberts, and Brice Pollock all made the list for the 32nd annual Bednarik Award, which goes to the nation's top defensive player each year. The same three had already been named to the Bronko Nagurski Trophy watch list, so this is not a one-off nod for any of them.
Texas Tech is tied with Alabama, BYU, Georgia, Indiana, LSU, Notre Dame, and Oklahoma for the most watch list representatives. Those are schools that recruit nationally and spend heavily to put talent on the field.
For fans in Lubbock, it signals that the defensive side of the ball at Jones AT&T Stadium is drawing real national attention heading into 2026. Watch lists do not guarantee hardware, but they reflect how analysts around the country are sizing up individual players before a single snap. Three names from one program on the same list is not an accident.
No Power Four program has more Bednarik watch list representatives right now than Texas Tech, which is a sentence that would have sounded strange to say even a few seasons ago.
Common questions
Which Texas Tech players made the 2026 Bednarik Award watch list?
- A.J. Holmes, Ben Roberts, and Brice Pollock all made the list. The Bednarik Award goes to the nation's top defensive player each year. All three had already been named to the Bronko Nagurski Trophy watch list, so this is a consistent recognition across multiple major defensive awards.
How does Texas Tech stack up against other schools on the Bednarik watch list?
- Texas Tech is tied for the most representatives of any program in the country with three players. The Red Raiders share that distinction with Alabama, BYU, Georgia, Indiana, LSU, Notre Dame, and Oklahoma - schools known for heavy recruiting budgets and national talent pipelines.
Stay in the loop
Weekly Lubbock news, deals, and events. Free.