PHILADELPHIA — The 2021 football season is right around the corner and two of the top college football individual awards — The Maxwell Award and Chuck Bednarik Award — announced their preseason watch lists today.

Four Cyclones made the cut, as senior quarterback Brock Purdy and junior running back Breece Hall are on the Maxwell Award watch list, while senior linebacker Mike Rose and junior defensive end Will McDonald IV were named to the Chuck Bednarik Award watch list.

The Maxwell Award has been presented to the College Player of the Year since 1937 and the Chuck Bednarik Award goes to the College Defensive Player of the Year.

Hall is one of six returning semifinalists for the Maxwell Award.

The first unanimous All-American in Iowa State history in 2020, Hall finished sixth in the Heisman Trophy voting and was one of three finalists for the Doak Walker Award in 2020.

A native of Wichita, Kan., Hall returns for his junior season as one of the best ballcarriers in the nation. The 2020 Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year led the nation in rushing yards (1,572), 100-yard rushing games (9) and consecutive games with a rushing touchdown (12) in 2020.

He also set or matched five Iowa State season records: touchdowns (23), rushing touchdowns (21), scoring (138), multi-TD rush games (8) and consecutive games with a rushing touchdown (12).

Purdy has set virtually every passing record in Iowa State history in his first three years as a starter. He’s a three-time All-Big 12 recipient, including earning first team accolades in 2020.

The Gilbert, Ariz., native had another fantastic campaign in 2020, throwing for 2,750 yards and 19 touchdowns, both totals ranking in ISU’s season top-five record lists. Purdy owns or shares 25 school records in his tremendous career, but perhaps his greatest accomplishment is his impact on winning.

He has the most QB wins in Iowa State history (23) and is 19-7 against Big 12 competition in the regular season.

Rose was the Big 12’s Defensive Player of the Year and an All-Big 12 First Team recipient in 2020 while leading the Cyclones to win over Oregon in the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl.

This past year, Rose had the most tackles in the Big 12 (96) and was credited with 10.5 tackles for loss, ranking third on the team. He also led all NCAA linebackers nationally with five interceptions, the most by a Cyclone linebacker in school history.

McDonald IV, a Pewaukee, Wis., native, was a first team All-Big 12 selection in 2020 after leading the conference and tying for first nationally in overall sacks at 10 1/2, setting a new ISU single-season record.