Ducks’ Dorlus, Beavs’ Oladapo Named To Bednarik Award Preseason Watch List

By 750 The Game Staff

A pair of standout defensive players in the state of Oregon are drawing national attention before the start of the 2023 season.

Oregon defensive end Brandon Dorlus and Oregon State safety Kitan Oladapo have been named to the preseason watch list for the Bednarik Award, given annually to the country’s most outstanding defensive player.

Dorlus and Oladapo were each also named to the preseason watch list for the Nagurski Trophy, given to the best defensive player in the country as determined by the Football Writers Association of America.

Dorlus, a senior, is a two-time all-conference standout, being named to the first team in 2021 and second team in 2022. He had a team-high 9.5 tackles for loss in 2022 to go with 2.5 sacks. He is a preseason first-team All-Pac-12 selection per conference media.

Oladapo, a redshirt senior from Happy Valley Ore. (Central Catholic), is the team’s top returning tackler having made 80 stops last season. The Beavers went 10-3 for their first ten-win season since 2006 and third overall in program history. Oladapo is also a preseason first-team All Pac-12 selection, per the media.

Oregon is No. 15 in the preseason AP Top-25, while Oregon State is ranked No. 18 for their first preseason AP ranking since 2013.

The Ducks open the season Sept. 2nd vs Portland State while the Beavers visit San Jose State in their season-opener the following day, Sept. 3rd.

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