The Herald-Zeitung

DALLAS — Baylor senior linebacker Joe Pawelek is among 16 finalists for the 2009 William V. Campbell Trophy, the National Football Foundation announced Thursday.

The Campbell Trophy, endowed by HealthSouth, is in its 20th year and honors college football’s top scholar-athlete.

A product of Smithson Valley, Pawelek is one of three linebackers on the 16-man finalists list, joining Matt Bauman of BYU and Reed Williams of West Virginia. Pawelek also is one of three Big 12 student-athletes on the list along with Texas quarterback Colt McCoy and Kansas quarterback Todd Reesing.

Pawelek leads all active FBS players with 379 career tackles. He needs 30 tackles to crack the NCAA's all-time top 20 list in career tackles and ranks third in Baylor history behind former NFL players Mike Singletary (662 tackles) and Ray Berry (380 tackles).

Pawelek ranks second in the Big 12 and 31st nationally with 9.4 tackles per game this season. He has recorded 10-plus tackles three times this season, including a 21-tackle effort against Connecticut that ranks as the second-best game total nationally.

A three-year starter for Smithson Valley, Pawelek finished his senior season in 2004 with 201 total stops that included 15 for losses and two sacks as the Rangers finished 13-3 after a 27-24 loss to Southlake Carroll in the Class 5A-Division II championship game.

A 2008 All-America and Academic All-America honoree, Pawelek also leads all active FBS linebackers with nine career interceptions. He needs one pick to become the 13th player in Baylor history with at least 10 career interceptions. Pawelek, who is on pace to start more games than any player in Baylor history, will start his 41st consecutive game Saturday when the Bears host Nebraska.

Pawelek also is active in community service efforts. He has assisted the Central Texas area at events such as Santa's Workshop, reading to area youth in the One Book One Waco program, was a spokesperson for Baylor's "Food for Families" canned food drive, played with young cancer survivors at the Li'l Wrangler Round-Up Party, and worked with Waco's Special Olympics. He also speaks regularly to youth at area schools.

The 2009 Campbell Trophy recipient will be announced Dec. 8 at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City. Previous winners of the Campbell Trophy, previously known as the Draddy Trophy, are NFL standout Derrick Brooks (Florida State), actor Mark Harmon (UCLA), NASA astronaut Leland Melvin (Richmond), former Dateline NBC anchor Stone Phillips (Yale), chairman of the Augusta National Golf Club Billy Payne (Georgia), NFL Hall of Famer Steve Young (BYU) and Heisman Trophy winners Terry Baker (Oregon State), Gary Beban (UCLA), Doug Flutie (Boston College) and Danny Wuerffel (Florida).