Could the Tennessee football Volunteers linebacker be the nation’s best defensive player in 2020?
This actually comes as a bit of a shock. A rising sophomore for Tennessee football is earning lots of preseason hype, and he now is earning a potential look for the most coveted award a defender could win at the FBS level.
Rising sophomore inside linebacker Henry To’o To’o, who figures to be the leader of the defense this year, was one of the names on the Bednarik Award Preseason Watch List for 2020. The award, named for Chuck Bednarik, goes to the nation’s best defensive player.
To’o To’o, who started every game last year for Tennessee football as a true freshman, was one of 90 players named to the list. The Maxwell Football Club tweeted out all of the players nationwide who made it on Monday.
The 2020 Chuck Bednarik Award watch list has dropped! pic.twitter.com/IVCJrjhRhi
— Maxwell Football (@MaxwellFootball) July 13, 2020
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Last year, while Daniel Bituli was the lead inside linebacker, To’o To’o was thrust into a leadership role earlier than expected. He was the main guy there for the first two games with Bituli hurt, calling the plays for the whole defense. Due to a lack of experience, the results were disastrous, and they were a big reason for the program’s 0-2 start.
However, after Bituli came back, To’o To’o began to develop. Then, at the end of the year, he emerged into a superstar, and when Bituli got hurt again in the Vols’ Gator Bowl comeback win over the Indiana Hoosiers, To’o To’o proved he was able to anchor the defense.
Amidst that dramatic improvement, the 6’2″ 235-pound Sacramento, Calif. native had 72 total tackles last year, 33 of which were solo. He also made the All-SEC Freshman team and was named Freshman All-American by multiple services.
Now, with Bituli gone, expectations are through the roof for To’o To’o. While Bryce Thompson appears to be a bigger star and the defensive line is made up of almost all seniors, To’o To’o is getting the most hype of Tennessee football defenders. Monday’s list further proved that.