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Indiana football: Tiawan Mullen named to Bednarik Award Watch List

By Connor O’Keefe

BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA - NOVEMBER 07: Tiawan Mullen #3 of the Indiana Hoosiers reacts after a play in the game against the Michigan Wolverines at Memorial Stadium on November 07, 2020 in Bloomington, Indiana. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA - NOVEMBER 07: Tiawan Mullen #3 of the Indiana Hoosiers reacts after a play in the game against the Michigan Wolverines at Memorial Stadium on November 07, 2020 in Bloomington, Indiana. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images) /
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Indiana football’s defensive star cornerback, Tiawan Mullen, was named to the Chuck Bednarik Award Watch List for the upcoming 2022 season. The Chuck Bednarik Award is awarded every season by the Maxwell Football Club (MFC) to the best defensive player in all of college football.

The MFC has been awarding the Bednarik Award since 1995 and has plenty of NFL defensive stars as former winners of the award in the past, including Aaron Donald in 2013 (University of Pittsburgh), Tyrann Mathieu in 2011 (LSU) and Chase Young in 2019 (Ohio State), to name a few. Big Ten defenders have been named winners of the award eight times, which is now tied with the SEC for the most award winners by any conference since the award was established.

While no Indiana football player has ever won the award, Tiawan Mullen has a great chance to fill the void left by the defense from last season and lead the Hoosiers to a winning season as their defensive leader. How could this former three-star who was injured for most of last season turn everything around and win the best defensive player award?

How Indiana football’s Tiawan Mullen could win the award this season

Cornerbacks have not had the most luck with winning this award since 2011; only one cornerback has won the Bednarik Award, Minkah Fitzpatrick (2017). In that 2017 season, Fitzpatrick had 38 solo tackles, 60 total tackles, with one interception, and seven passes defended in 13 games played.

In 2011, Tyrann Mathieu from LSU won the Bednarik Award with 59 solo tackles, 76 total tackles, two interceptions, nine passes defended, and six forced fumbles in 13 games played. Quite an impressive season, which has further turned into one of the better defensive backs in the NFL to this day.

In 8 games played in 2020, Mullen recorded 26 solo tackles, 37 total tackles, three interceptions, and four passes defended. While the odds are not in any defensive backs favor to win the award in 2022, if Mullen has as good, if not better, a full season than he did in 2020, he should end up as a finalist for the 2022 Chuck Bednarik Award by the end of the season. Making winning/game-changing plays will also play as a factor, along with helping an Indiana football team that disappointed everyone last season.

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All stats provided by College Football Reference.

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