Georgia junior safety Dominick Sanders has been included on the 2016 Chuck Bednarik Award Watch List, according to an announcement from the Maxwell Football Club on Tuesday.

Semifinalists for the Bednarik Award, which is given to the college defensive player of the year, will be announced October 31 while the three finalists for the award will be unveiled November 21.  The winner of the 2016 Bednarik Award will be announced as part of the Home Depot College Football Awards Show held on December 8.

The formal presentations of this award will be made at the Maxwell Football Club Awards Gala hosted by Tropicana Hotel & Casino Atlantic City on March 10, 2017.

Sanders, a native of Tucker, Ga., earned 2015 Associated Press All-Southeastern Conference First Team honors after starting 12 of 13 games for the Bulldogs and finishing with 48 tackles, including five tackles for loss, and a team-leading six interceptions.  His 205 interception return yards last year were a UGA record and ranked fifth all-time in the SEC.

Sanders started all 13 games his freshman season in 2014 and had 34 stops to go with three picks and a fumble recovery.