Penn State Defensive Back Jeremiah Cooper Named To Chuck Bednarik Award Watch List
The awards for Penn State football just keep coming.
Nittany Lion defensive back Jeremiah Cooper has been named to the Chuck Bednarik Award Watch List, the National College Football Awards Association announced on Friday.
Chuck Bednarik Award Watch List
— Penn State Football (@PennStateFball) August 21, 2026
Presented annually to College Football’s Defensive Player of the Year@jeremiah1cooper pic.twitter.com/95QhjD2VqQ
The Chuck Bednarik Award, which is in its 32nd season, is presented annually to the outstanding defensive player in college football.
Cooper, one of the many Iowa State transfers on Penn State this season, has collected 134 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, one forced fumble, eight interceptions (one touchdown), and 14 pass breakups in his college football career.
The senior was selected to the All-Big 12 first team in 2023 and Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year in 2022.
Cooper played in just four games in 2025 before suffering a season-ending injury, but still recorded nine tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, one interception, and three pass breakups.
That injury kept Cooper out of the entirety of spring ball.
Four Penn State Nittany Lions players have won the Chuck Bednarik Award: LaVar Arrington in 1999, Paul Posluszny in 2005 and 2006, and Dan Connor in 2007.
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