UF junior defensive end Jermaine Cunningham (Stone Mountain, Ga.) was named a pre-season candidate for the 2008 Ted Hendricks Defensive End of the Year Award by the Ted Hendricks Foundation Tuesday.

The Ted Hendricks Defensive End of the Year Award is named in honor of college football’s first three-time first team All-American. As a defensive end at the University of Miami, Ted used his agility, height and reach to block passes and kicks, force interceptions and pressure quarterbacks and running backs. He roamed the front line, read plays and blitzed on impulse, completely transforming the way the defensive end position was played. His professional career spanned 15 years and 215 consecutive games and included four Super Bowl victories, eight Pro Bowl selections and inductions into the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame. It is in the spirit of Ted Hendricks’ aggressive style of play, winning attitude and determination that the Defensive End of the Year Award for college football’s premier defensive end is presented.

Cunningham has tallied a total of 66 tackles, 36 solo and 30 assisted, in his first two seasons as a defensive end with the Gators. Cunningham has additionally recorded 12 tackles for loss and six-and-a-half sacks, while owning three pass deflections and one interception as a vital contributor to the University of Florida defense. Cunningham recorded a team season-high 17 tackles against the No. 1 LSU Tigers in 2007, the most tackles by any SEC defensive lineman during the 2007 season.  His 17 tackles were also the most tackles in a single game by a Gator since the 2004 season.

Members of the national media, head coaches, professional scouts and former winners are included in the Award’s voting committee. The voting committee takes in to consideration on-field performance, exceptional winning attitude, leadership abilities, contributions to school and community and academic preparedness as some of the criteria used to determine the Award’s winner. Candidates may represent any class (freshman through senior) as well as any four-year NCAA accredited school. The candidate’s primary position must be Defensive End.

The list is subject to change until the Final Mid-Season Watch List is issued in November. Players may be added or deleted, depending on performance, injury, etc. The 2008 winner will be announced on December 10.

2008 Ted Hendricks Defensive End of the Year Pre-Season Candidates:

DIYRAL BRIGGS                        BOWLING GREEN

EVERETTE BROWN                    FLORIDA STATE

VICTOR BUTLER                        OREGON STATE

IAN CAMPBELL                         KANSAS STATE

ANTONIO COLEMAN                 AUBURN

JERMAINE CUNNINGHAM      FLORIDA

WILL DAVIS                              ILLINOIS

DEXTER DAVIS                          ARIZONA STATE

LARRY ENGLISH                        NORTHERN ILLINOIS

AUSTON ENGLISH                     OKLAHOMA

MAURICE EVANS                       PENN STATE

BRANDON GRAHAM                   MICHIGAN

GREG HARDY                            MISSISSIPPI

PHILLIP HUNT                          HOUSTON

TYSON JACKSON                       LSU

TIM JAMISON                            MICHIGAN

JEREMY JARMON                       KENTUCKY

MICHAEL JOHNSON                  GEORGIA TECH

GREEN JAN JORGENSEN            BYU

ALBERT McCLELLAN                  MARSHALL

GREG MIDDLETON                    INDIANA

ERIC MONCUR                          MIAMI

KYLE MOORE                            USC

ERIC NORWOOD                      SOUTH CAROLINA

BRIAN ORAKPO                         TEXAS

KIRSTON PITTMAN                    LSU

ZACH POTTER                           NEBRASKA

NICK REED                               OREGON

ANTWAIN ROBINSON                ARKANSAS

RICKY SAPP                              CLEMSON

JEFF SCHWEIGER                     SAN JOSE STATE

GEORGE SELVIE                       SOUTH FLORIDA

MATT SHAUGHNESSY                WISCONSIN

STRYKER SULAK                        MISSOURI

JAMAAL WESTERMAN                RUTGERS

WILLIE YOUNG                         N.C. STATE

-UF-