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Briean Boddy-Calhoun and Eric Murray named to 2015 Bednarik Award Watch List

The Minnesota seniors are the only pair of cornerbacks on the list to come from a single team!

Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

I think the Gophers might have a good secondary you guys...

Seniors Briean Boddy-Calhoun and Eric Murray were named to the 2015 Chuck Bednarik Award Watch List today by the Maxwell Football Club.

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Boddy-Calhoun and Murray are two of 80 defensive players named to the pre-season list. Thirteen cornerbacks were recognized, but Boddy-Calhoun and Murray are the only corner teammates who are on the list. The only other Big Ten corner on the list is William Likely from Maryland.

Reminder, the Bednarik Award is for the best defensive player, not just defensive back, which is a sign of just how strong the Minnesota secondary is this season.

The Bednarik Award has been presented to the College Defensive Player of the Year since 1995. It is named after Chuck Bednarik, who is a member the College Football Hall of Fame (1969) and the NFL Hall of Fame (1967) after standout careers at Penn and with the Philadelphia Eagles.

While it's currently unlikely that either Gopher wins this award (though I expect at least one of the pair to make the cut in future rounds), being named to the watch list is already a honor. BBC and Murray are the first Gophers to be named to the watch list since Ra’Shede Hageman was honored in 2013.

HATS OFF to Briean and Eric!