Florida State football cornerback Ja'Bril Rawls earned a starting role in 2025, and he took full advantage of the opportunity. He finished with 40 tackles, two tackles for loss, one interception, two pass breakups, and one fumble recovery.
Rawls has earned something else just eight days before the Seminoles open the season against the New Mexico State Aggies. He's been named to the Chuck Bednarik Award Watch List. This honor is given to the most outstanding defensive player in the country by the Maxwell Football Club.
Last season, Rawls helped FSU allow just 190.8 yards per game against the pass and end the year ranked 28th in total defense under Tony White in his first year as defensive coordinator. This was a significant step up from 2024, when they ranked 86th in total defense.
Despite having a big year with Florida State, Rawls announced that he was entering the transfer portal in December. However, on New Year's Eve, he decided that he was returning to FSU with two years of eligibility remaining.
Rawls also got some extremely high praise recently from Drew Fabianich, who is a former Dallas Cowboys scout and current executive director of the Senior Bowl. He feels Rawls should be drafted in the first round.
“I put on the tape, and you know I’m going, ‘OK, why is this guy not getting talked about very much?'” Fabianich said in July. “As soon as I watched the tape, I said he’s a first-round corner.”
Rawls is slated to be a starter again in 2026 as the Seminoles look to take another leap forward defensively and get the program back to a bowl game for the first time in three years.
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This article originally appeared on FSU Wire: FSU cornerback Ja'Bril Rawls named to Bednarik Award Watch List
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