Syracuse Football: Orange will win 1st Bednarik Award in program history

Several Syracuse football players were featured on the Bednarik Award watch list. Here’s why a SU player will win it for the 1st time in program history.

Syracuse football made history in 2018 and they have another opportunity to do it again in 2019.

On Monday afternoon the Maxwell Football Club released the preseason watch list for the Bednarik Award and two Syracuse football players were featured on the list:

• Andre Cisco, sophomore, defensive back.
• Alton Robinson, senior, defensive end.

The Bednarik Award is handed out annually to the nation’s defensive player of the year. Since the award’s inception in 1995, no Syracuse football player has ever taken it home.

In 2019 one of these two will bring the hardware back to Syracuse University.

Andre Cisco registered seven interceptions in his freshman season which was good enough to lead the nation.

While Robinson recorded double-digit sacks (10) and could’ve had even more. “Robinson’s 56 total pressure is tied for fourth-most among returning defensive players nationwide,” per Cam Mellor of Pro Football Focus.

College football guru Phil Steele joined Boy Green on ‘Drive Time Sports’ recently and gave his take on these two Syracuse defensive studs:

On Andre Cisco

"“The problem with Cisco is the fact that he had seven interceptions and 11 PBUs last year. Generally, when that happens to a player, teams don’t throw the ball into his area much the next year. So I don’t know if he’ll be able to get back to that stat level, but being a free safety maybe he can find his way back there. Andre was so impressive the entire season.”"

On Alton Robinson

"“Alton had 10 sacks last year so he won’t be surprising anyone in 2019, but he has a chance to top those numbers at 6-foot-4, 257. That’s good size, not great size. He can still get to the NFL with those measurables. Robinson is on the national radar when you look at the pass rush and the burst. If he can have another year like 2018, then I think he’s going to jump even higher on my big board.”"

There have been 24 previous winners of the Bednarik Award, here are some interesting stats:

• Historically speaking the award has been dominated by linebackers:
  • 14 of the 24 winners have come via the linebacker position.
• Although over the last nine years it has been more spread out:
  • Three winners have come via the defensive line/edge, three winners have come via the secondary, and three winners have come via the linebacker spot.

Here’s why either Andre Cisco or Alton Robinson could become the first Syracuse winners of this award in history:

• There has only been one prior Bednarik Award winner that has registered seven interceptions and that was Manti Teo back in 2012. Which means if Andre can have similar success in 2019 or even slightly worse, he’ll be right in the thick of things.

• While over the last decade every defensive linemen/edge player that has won the award registered at least 10.5 sacks. So if Alton wants to be the guy, he’ll have to raise the bar even higher than in 2018 when he snagged 10 sacks.

"“Semifinalists for the Bednarik Award will be announced on October 29 and the three finalists for the award will be unveiled on November 25. The winner will be announced live on ESPN at The Home Depot College Football Awards Show on Dec. 12. The formal presentation of the 2019 Bednarik Award will be made during the Maxwell Football Club Awards Gala at the Tropicana Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City on March 13, 2020,” per Cuse.com."