University of Houston Athletics
Photo by: Wilf Thorne/Wilf Thorne Photography
Marcus Jones Selected to Bednarik Award Watch List
7/19/2021 8:15:00 AM | Football
HOUSTON – Houston Football senior Marcus Jones was selected to the 2021 Chuck Bednarik Award Watch List powered by Mammoth Tech on Monday.
He was recently selected by Dave Campbell's Texas Football Magazine as the best defensive back in Texas and was tabbed as a first-team cornerback by the publication. Jones was also honored as a preseason first-team All-American by Phil Steele Magazine, Athlon Sports and the Walter Camp Foundation as a return specialist.
Last season as a cornerback, Jones made seven starts, finishing with 24 tackles (18 solo), 2.0 tackles for loss, one interception and five pass breakups. The Enterprise, Ala., native was also a 2020 PFF All-America Fourth Team as a defensive back.
Jones was also a first-team All-America pick by Phil Steele Magazine, the FWAA and CBS/247 Sports as a return specialist in 2020. He led the FBS in punt return average in 2020 and was the only player in the FBS to have two games with at least 100 punt return yards.
Jones enters the 2021 season with five career return touchdowns (four kickoff + one punt) and has recorded 1,565 kickoff return yards in his three-year career to go along with 507 punt return yards.
The Bednarik Award watch list is comprised of 90 candidates on the defensive side of the ball. Last year's winner Zaven Collins (Tulsa) and fellow finalists Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (Notre Dame) and Patrick Surtain II (Alabama) have all moved on to the NFL. The list features two returning semifinalists from 2020, Myjai Sanders (Cincinnati) and Kyle Hamilton (Notre Dame). There are 11 schools that have two candidates on the Bednarik watch list.
The Maxwell Football Club has once again partnered with Pro Football Focus (PFF), XOS ThunderCloud and Phil Steele Publications as selection committee partners. PFF provides detailed metrics and performance-based assessments to selection committee staff, and several senior PFF analysts are members of our selection committee. Phil Steele's College Football Preview is generally recognized as the most complete preseason magazine. XOS ThunderCloud provides the Maxwell Club selection committee with access to game footage from all FBS colleges.
The Cougars return 17 starters from last year's squad and open the 2021 season on Sept. 4 inside NRG Stadium for the Texas Kickoff against Texas Tech.
2021 TICKET INFORMATION
Season tickets for the 2021 Houston Football season start as low as $100 for six games including the Sept. 4 Texas Kickoff against Texas Tech at NRG Stadium.
Fans can click here to purchase their 2021 season tickets today. Mini-plan options are also available for the 2021 season and are available for purchase here.
STAY CONNECTED
Follow Houston Football on Twitter and Instagram at @UHCougarFB, and "Like" Houston Cougar Football on Facebook.
He was recently selected by Dave Campbell's Texas Football Magazine as the best defensive back in Texas and was tabbed as a first-team cornerback by the publication. Jones was also honored as a preseason first-team All-American by Phil Steele Magazine, Athlon Sports and the Walter Camp Foundation as a return specialist.
Last season as a cornerback, Jones made seven starts, finishing with 24 tackles (18 solo), 2.0 tackles for loss, one interception and five pass breakups. The Enterprise, Ala., native was also a 2020 PFF All-America Fourth Team as a defensive back.
Jones was also a first-team All-America pick by Phil Steele Magazine, the FWAA and CBS/247 Sports as a return specialist in 2020. He led the FBS in punt return average in 2020 and was the only player in the FBS to have two games with at least 100 punt return yards.
Jones enters the 2021 season with five career return touchdowns (four kickoff + one punt) and has recorded 1,565 kickoff return yards in his three-year career to go along with 507 punt return yards.
The Bednarik Award watch list is comprised of 90 candidates on the defensive side of the ball. Last year's winner Zaven Collins (Tulsa) and fellow finalists Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (Notre Dame) and Patrick Surtain II (Alabama) have all moved on to the NFL. The list features two returning semifinalists from 2020, Myjai Sanders (Cincinnati) and Kyle Hamilton (Notre Dame). There are 11 schools that have two candidates on the Bednarik watch list.
The Maxwell Football Club has once again partnered with Pro Football Focus (PFF), XOS ThunderCloud and Phil Steele Publications as selection committee partners. PFF provides detailed metrics and performance-based assessments to selection committee staff, and several senior PFF analysts are members of our selection committee. Phil Steele's College Football Preview is generally recognized as the most complete preseason magazine. XOS ThunderCloud provides the Maxwell Club selection committee with access to game footage from all FBS colleges.
The Cougars return 17 starters from last year's squad and open the 2021 season on Sept. 4 inside NRG Stadium for the Texas Kickoff against Texas Tech.
2021 TICKET INFORMATION
Season tickets for the 2021 Houston Football season start as low as $100 for six games including the Sept. 4 Texas Kickoff against Texas Tech at NRG Stadium.
Fans can click here to purchase their 2021 season tickets today. Mini-plan options are also available for the 2021 season and are available for purchase here.
STAY CONNECTED
Follow Houston Football on Twitter and Instagram at @UHCougarFB, and "Like" Houston Cougar Football on Facebook.
Players Mentioned
CB
/ FootballPress Conference: Head Coach Willie Fritz Speaks to Media on the 2026 Transfer Portal Class
Wednesday, February 04
Postgame Press Conference: Football vs. LSU (Texas Bowl)
Sunday, December 28
Highlights: Houston 38, LSU 35 (Texas Bowl)
Sunday, December 28
Press Conference: Head Coach Willie Fritz Previews Texas Bowl vs. LSU
Monday, December 22