10/12/2022

EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State senior defensive end/linebacker Jacoby Windmon has been added to the Chuck Bednarik Award Watch List, the Maxwell Football Club announced on Wednesday.

The Maxwell Football Club has presented the Chuck Bednarik Award to the nation’s best defensive player since 1995.

Windmon transferred to MSU from UNLV in January 2022 and played linebacker in the spring and the beginning of preseason camp before moving to defensive end prior to the season opener. He responded in a big way against Western Michigan in Week 1, recording a career-high four sacks (17 yards), tying for the second most in a single game in MSU history, while earning Walter Camp National Defensive Player of the Week and Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week accolades.

In Week 2 against Akron, Windmon forced three fumbles, the most by a Spartan since Joe Bachie against Maryland in 2018. He also recorded 2.5 tackles for loss (17 yards) and 1.5 sacks (14 yards), broke up a pass, and recovered a fumble while collecting five stops overall.

For his performance in the first two weeks of the season, Windmon became the first Spartan player to win Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors in back-to-back weeks (vs. Western Michigan and Akron).

Through six games, Windmon leads the FBS in forced fumbles (5), is tied for seventh in sacks (5.5), and is tied for 16th in tackles for loss (8.5). All of those marks also lead the Big Ten Conference. His five forced fumbles already rank tied for third most in an MSU season.

Prior to arriving to East Lansing, Windmon picked up second-team All-Mountain West recognition following his highly productive junior season with the Runnin’ Rebels in 2021. The New Orleans native ranked third in the MWC and 13th in the FBS in tackles per game (9.8 avg.; 118 total) and also had 11.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks. Windmon posted 169 career tackles in three seasons (2019-21) for the Runnin’ Rebels, adding 18.5 TFLs (100 yards), 12 sacks (85 yards), four pass break-ups and three forced fumbles in 30 career games.

Semifinalists for the Bednarik Award will be announced on Monday, Nov. 1.

COURTESY MICHIGAN STATE ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS