ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. --- It's a sixth preseason award for Jaxton Eck. The returning All-America linebacker has been named to his sixth Watch List, this time to the Bednarik Award Watch List.
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, 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.
Eck was a First Team CSC Academic All-American in 2025 and a Third Team All-American after finishing 10th nationally in total tackles (129) and tackles per game (9.9). He has volunteered for all public service with the football team, and he has been a regular reader at UNMH Children's Hospital. Additionally, he manned a table and spoke on campus for the "Be A Match" program; he has volunteered with Nusenda Credit Union on various social projects; and he led the squad in feeding people experiencing homelessness at the 2025 Rate Bowl.
The honors bring Ecks' preseason award total to six. He has been named to watch lists for the Wuerffel Trophy, the AFCA Good Works Team, the Nagurski Award, the Lombardi Award, and the Butkus Award.