Malaki Starks named 2024 Bednarik Award semifinalist

UGA football defensive back Malaki Starks has been named a 2024 Bednarik Award semifinalist, the Maxwell Football Club has announced.

The Bednarik Award, named after Chuck Bednarik, is an annual award given to the college football defensive player of the year. The Maxwell Football Club again partnered with Pro Football Focus (PFF) and Phil Steele Publications as selection committee partners.

Semifinalist voting for the Bednarik Award will begin on Tuesday Nov. 12 and will close on Saturday, Nov. 23. Three finalists for the award will be announced on Nov. 26 and a finalist round of voting will take place at that time. The winner of the 30th Bednarik Award will be announced at the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show on Thursday, Dec. 12, 2024.

Malaki Starks is a 6-foot-1, 205-pound junior from Jefferson, Ga. He has started at defensive back in all eight games for the Bulldogs so far this season and has 49 total tackles (31 solo, 18 assisted), four tackles for loss (12 yards), and one interception.

Georgia (7-2, 5-2 SEC) is next scheduled to host the Tennessee Volunteers (8-1, 5-1 SEC) on Saturday, Nov. 16 at Dooley Field at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Ga. The game will be televised by ABC and streamed via ESPN+ at 7:30pm ET (Buy Tickets).

2024 UGA Football Schedule