The Chuck Bednarik Award is presented annually to the top defensive player in college football. Two Hokies have early recognition.

That's right, Watch List Season is upon us, with the Bednarik Award first to drop. Senior linebacker Rayshard Ashby and redshirt junior cornerback Caleb Farley are in the first round of nominees for the award.

The 5-10, 237-pound Ashby was the ACC Linebacker of the Week five times last season - though was somehow snubbed on the first-team all-conference list when no other player earned the weekly award more than twice.

In his second year as the starter in the middle, he made 120 total tackles, tied for 13th in the nation (seventh among returning players) with 17 of them for loss, including five sacks. He also broke up one pass and forced three fumbles - one of which was returned by safety Divine Deablo for a 99-yard touchdown against Notre Dame.

Ashby was the anchor in the middle for a defense that ranked No. 36 nationally in opponent yards per play, No. 52 against the run and No. 27 in passing efficiency defense.

Initially a three-star prospect from Chesterfield (Va.) L.C. Bird, Ashby was a contributor on special teams as a true freshman, and locked down a starting spot ever since.

Farley was a four-star athlete from Maiden (N.C.) in the 2017 class, with the potential to contribute as a receiver or defensive back at the next level. After bouncing back and forth during his spring practice sessions as an early enrollee, he tore his ACL prior to his true freshman season, and spent that year learning defense, rather than sticking to the receiver position that the program announced for him over the Summer.

While he had occasional struggles as an unexpected starter during his redshirt freshman season - the VT secondary slumped to No. 80 nationally in pass-efficiency against in an overall down year - he was exceptional in his second year at the position. Just 18 passes were completed against him all year, and he broke up 12 passes while intercepting four during the season. Farley also made 20 total tackles.

He was named first-team all-conference and tested the NFL waters during the offseason.

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The Hokies defense experienced a major bounceback during the 2019 season, and Ashby and Farley will be tasked in making sure that continues in 2020.