KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee redshirt junior outside linebacker Darrell Taylor added another defensive player of the week award on Tuesday when he was named the Chuck Bednarik National Player of the Week by the Maxwell Football Club.
Taylor adds the Bednarik honor to the Walter Camp Defensive Player of the Week and SEC Defensive Player of the Week honors he received on Monday. The Waverly, Va., native also was named the ADT Defensive Player of the Week by CBS Sports on Sunday.
Taylor’s honors come as no surprise after the Vols’ edge rusher terrorized No. 11 Kentucky on Saturday with a career-high four sacks, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and seven tackles overall in leading Tennessee to a 24-7 victory inside Neyland Stadium.
Taylor is the first Vol to win the Bednarik Player of the Week award since Derek Barnett on Sept. 29, 2016.
Taylor’s four-sack performance is tied for the highest total by an FBS player this season and it marks the third four-sack game in Tennessee history (Reggie White, 1983; Corey Miller, 2013). He also had three sacks against Georgia earlier this fall.
Taylor’s seven sacks on the season are tied for sixth in the SEC and his three forced fumbles are tied for third in the league while his two fumbles recovered rank first in the SEC and 16th in the nation.
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