A trio of Penn State players have been named finalists for some of the nation’s most prestigious awards. Abdul Carter, the Nittany Lions’ star defensive end, is a finalist for the Bednarik Award; tight end Tyler Warren is a finalist for the Mackey Award; and center Nick Dawkins is a finalist for the Wuerffel Trophy.
Carter joins Colorado’s Travis Hunter and Ohio State’s Caleb Downs as the final three candidates for the Bednarik Award, given annually to the nation’s top defensive player. Carter, who is also a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and the Lombardi Award, currently ranks first among Power Four players with 17.5 tackles for loss and also has eight sacks.
“He’s a disruptive football player. He was that way when he played linebacker. He’s a disruptive football player for us at defensive end,” James Franklin said. “I still think there’s been an evolution for him there in terms of playing a run on a consistent basis, rushing the passer on a consistent basis, getting really good with his get off. He’s just getting better. And to me, that’s the exciting thing about Abdul. He’s got a ton of football left ahead of him.”
Warren is one of three candidates, alongside Bowling Green’s Harold Fannin and Michigan’s Colston Loveland, for the Mackey Award for the nation’s best tight end. Warren, who leads Penn State with 1,067 scrimmage yards and nine total touchdowns, is also a finalist for the Paul Hornung Award and a semifinalist for the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award.
Among Power Four tight ends, Warren ranks first in total touchdowns, receiving yards, receiving yards per game, yards per reception and total receptions.
“I think Tyler Warren should be a part of all the conversations that deal with the best football players in college football,” Franklin said on Nov. 16. “I don’t think it’s a question. And that’s all those types of awards, including the Heisman.”
Dawkins joins Notre Dame’s Jack Kiser and Washington State’s Dean Janikowski as the final candidates for the Wuerffel Trophy, college football’s premier award for community service. Dawkins has, most notably, founded the Dawkins Family Foundation, an organization dedicated to empowering communities through youth engagement.
He has also interned with the YMCA of Centre County, is the president of Penn State’s chapter of Uplifting Athletes, serves on the board of Devon Still’s “Still Strong Foundation” and, last year, chaired Penn State’s student-athlete advisory committee’s diversity, equity and inclusion committee.
