Arizona State DL Tyler Johnson Lands on Hendricks Award Watch List

On Thursday, Arizona State Sun Devils defensive end Tyler Johnson was named to the 2021 Hendricks Award watch list, annually given to the nation's top defensive end. 

In only seven games this season (Johnson was ejected for targeting in the season opener for the Sun Devils), Johnson has 24 total tackles, three sacks, one fumble forced and one pass defensed. 

Only Anthonie Cooper (3.5) has more sacks than Johnson for Arizona State, while defensive back Jack Jones is the only other player on defense to force a fumble for the Sun Devils this season.

This isn't the first piece of recognition for Johnson since the season began, as he was previously garnered honors for Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week and Walter Camp National Defender of the Week after Arizona State's victory over Stanford.

Per Arizona State athletics, Johnson has forced a QB pressure on 11 percent of his pass-rush snaps this season, the eighth-best mark among Pac-12 edge defenders (minimum 125 pass-rush snaps).

The Ted Hendricks Award recognizes on-field performance, leadership abilities and contributions to school and community as some of the criteria used to determine the award winner. The candidates may represent any class (freshman through senior) as well as any recognized four-year NCAA member school (Division I through Division III).

Former Arizona State Sun Devil Terrell Suggs won the inaugural award in 2002.