Story by
Texas Tech football star Jacob Rodriguez adds Bednarik Award to haul
- Story by
- Texas Tech football star Jacob Rodriguez adds Bednarik Award to haul
Jacob Rodriguez's month of reaping college football's highest honors continued on Friday, Dec. 12.
Texas Tech football's playmaking linebacker won the Bednarik Award, which the Maxwell Football Club presents annually to the defensive player of the year in college football. The honor was one of several revealed during ESPN's annual college football awards show.
Advertisement
Rodriguez, a 6-foot-1, 235-pound senior from Wichita Falls Rider, transferred to Texas Tech after his freshman year at Virginia , where he played several positions on offense.
"It's unbelievable," Rodriguez said during an interview on the ESPN awards program. "I think just being in this position is something I couldn't have dreamed of. I'm just so thankful for coach (Joey) McGuire and this university taking me in with open arms. It's been a crazy journey. It's been a fun one. I won't forget it for sure."
More: Texas Tech football's J'Koby Williams helped coach regain his will to live
More: Texas Tech football 'D' stars dot USA TODAY Sports All-America team
Advertisement
Rodriguez also has won the Butkus Award that goes to the nation's top linebacker, the Bronko Nagurski Trophy for the country's top defensive player and the Lombardi Award that recognizes the top lineman or linebacker. He's the first Texas Tech player to win any of the four. Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o in 2012 is the only other player to win all four in the same season.
"An outstanding linebacker that can play sideline to sideline," ESPN analyst Booger McFarland said. "I just loved how he plays the game. It's almost old-school. ... His ability to play football at the level he does is unreal."
Also on Friday night, Texas Tech edge defender David Bailey and Rodriguez were first-team honorees on the Walter Camp Football Foundation all-America team. The Walter Camp is the first of the five recognized teams used to determine consensus and unanimous all-America honors.
Texas Tech (12-1) has won the Big 12 championship and has a spot in the College Football Playoff, both program firsts. A defense that leads the FBS in turnovers gained and rushing defense is a big reason why.
Texas Tech's Jacob Rodriguez pursues the ball against UCF during a Big 12 Conference football game, Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025, at Jones AT&T Stadium.
Rodriguez has been credited with 117 tackles, including 11 tackles for loss. He also has an FBS-leading 7 forced fumbles, 6 pass breakups, 4 interceptions and 2 fumble recoveries.
Advertisement
Bailey has 13 1/2 sacks, a figure that ranks second in the FBS and first among players in the power conferences. The first-year transfer from Stanford also has 43 tackles, including 17 1/2 tackles for loss, as well as 3 forced fumbles.
Earlier this week, Bailey and Rodriguez won the Pony Express Award, which goes to the top teammate tandem in college football.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Texas Tech football star Jacob Rodriguez adds Bednarik Award to haul
