KINCHENS, TAYLOR NAMED TO BEDNARIK PRE-SEASON WATCH LIST; LEE ADDED TO RIMINGTON

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Two Miami Hurricane defensive stars were named to the preseason watch list for the 2023 Chuck Bednarik Award, which is presented annually to the Most Outstanding Defensive Player in College Football.

Safety Kamren Kinchens and defensive tackle Leonard Taylor III received such recognition from the Maxwell Football Club, which first started presenting awards in 1922.

Kinchens was a first-team All-American in 2022 and has already been named to the watch lists for the Wuerffel Trophy, Nagurski Trophy, and Thorpe Award. He was also recognized by the Atlantic Coast Conference as a first-team pre-season All-ACC candidate.

"You look at it, and it's one of those things you kind of see on social media. Everybody on social media says. It's one of the things we don't try to buy into," Kinchens said at the ACC Media Days when asked about pre-season hype. "It don't take away from our work ethic, and all the extra work we put in together to make sure it happens."

Kinchens led the Hurricanes with 59 total tackles, starting all 12 games and finishing with a team-high six interceptions.

Taylor III, who earned All-ACC Honorable Mention last season, finished with 24 total tackles including 10.5 for loss. He is a big man and poses problems for offensive linemen. Taylor III had six quarterback hurries and led the Hurricanes in that category.

One incoming transfer, center Matt Lee was named to the watch list for the Rimington Trophy which is an award that honors the best center in College Football.

Lee, who spent his first four seasons at the University of Central Florida, was rated as the third-highest-ranked center in college football by Pro Football Focus at the conclusion of the 2022-23 season. He transferred to Miami for his redshirt senior year.

Dave Rimington, the award’s namesake, was a consensus first-team All-America center at the University of Nebraska in 1981 and 1982, during which time he became the John Outland Trophy’s only two-time winner as the nation’s finest college interior lineman.

Kinchens was a first-team All-American in 2022 and has already been named to the watch lists for the Wuerffel Trophy, Nagurski Trophy, and Thorpe Award. He was also recognized by the Atlantic Coast Conference as a first-team pre-season All-ACC candidate.

Kinchens led the Hurricanes with 59 total tackles, starting all 12 games and finishing with a team-high six interceptions.

Taylor III, who earned All-ACC Honorable Mention last season, finished with 24 total tackles including 10.5 for loss. He is a big man and poses problems for offensive linemen. Taylor III had six quarterback hurries and led the Hurricanes in that category.

One incoming transfer, center Matt Lee was named to the watch list for the Rimington Trophy which is an award that honors the best center in College Football.

Lee, who spent his first four seasons at the University of Central Florida, was rated as the third-highest-ranked center in college football by Pro Football Focus at the conclusion of the 2022-23 season. He transferred to Miami for his redshirt senior year.

The accolades and all that stuff is cool. I don't really care about that. I want to win games," Lee said at a press conference at the ACC Media Days last month. "I want to win the conference championship. I want to go all the way, all that. All that comes with that because individual stuff is awesome, but it don't really matter. All that matters is the team, winning the team, going as far as you can get the team to go."

Dave Rimington, the award’s namesake, was a consensus first-team All-America center at the University of Nebraska in 1981 and 1982, during which time he became the John Outland Trophy’s only two-time winner as the nation’s finest college interior lineman.