West Virginia’s “head honcho” Aubrey Burks has caught the eyes of folks, nationally, around college football.

Burks, WVU’s junior safety, was named to the Chuck Bednarik Award Watch List on Monday, as announced by Maxwell Football Club. The Chuck Bednarik Award is handed out annually to the top defensive player in college football.

Burks is one of the more than 100 defensive players named to the award’s preseason watch list.

The Mountaineer DB is one of 12 players from the Big 12 Conference up for the award.

Burks joins a growing list of WVU players on preseason watch lists for national awards. Center Zach Frazier (Weurffel Trophy) and transfer wideout/return specialist Ja’Shaun Poke (Paul Hornung Award) were both named to preseason watch lists on Aug. 3. Sophomore running back CJ Donaldson was named to the Doak Walker Award Watch List on Aug. 9.

Burks played in 11 games last year for WVU. He made 66 total tackles, collected one sack, one interception, and three pass breakups.