The Butkus family announced this week that linebacker Barrett Carter has been named to the preseason watch list for the Butkus Award, which honors the nation’s top linebacker. More details from the award organizers are provided below.
For additional preseason accolades earned by Clemson, visit the 2024 Preseason Honors hub.
The 40th annual Butkus Award® selection process has begun with the release of the preseason watch list, identifying the top linebackers in college football.
The 51 linebackers on the watch list are a nod to the “51” jersey worn by the award’s namesake, the late Dick Butkus, who was celebrated by NFL Films as the greatest defensive player in football history.
The list features players from 44 colleges and universities nationwide, including two returning semi-finalists from 2023: Deontae Lawson of Alabama and Jay Higgins of Iowa. The watch list is divided by conference: Big Ten (16), SEC (12), ACC (7), and Big 12 (7), with candidates from four additional conferences and one independent program. Seven schools have multiple representatives, including Alabama, Iowa, Kentucky, Ohio State, Oklahoma State, South Carolina, and Utah.
Semi-finalists will be announced on November 4, finalists on November 25, and the winner by December 10. Being on the watch list does not guarantee winning the award. The 2024 Butkus Award winners at the high school, college, and pro levels will be honored at an event in early 2025 at Memorial Stadium, University of Illinois, as part of a Big Ten Network special.
The 51-person Butkus Award selection committee, composed of coaches, scouts, and journalists, evaluates players based on qualities that defined Dick Butkus’ career: toughness, leadership, competitiveness, football character, and linebacker skills. The award emphasizes recognition for linebackers who consistently play off the ball in a two-point stance.
The committee also congratulates Patrick Willis, inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on August 3, 2024. Willis, a winner of both the collegiate (2006) and pro (2009) Butkus Awards, has supported the Butkus Foundation’s charitable causes.
Last year’s collegiate winner was Payton Wilson of North Carolina State (now with the Pittsburgh Steelers), the high school winner was Sammy Brown of Jefferson, Ga. (now at Clemson), and the pro winner was Roquan Smith of the Baltimore Ravens, who also won the pro award in 2022 and the collegiate award in 2017.
Upon taking control of the Butkus Award in 2008, Mr. Butkus stated, “When an outstanding player receives the Butkus Award, he will know two things: first, he is recognized as the best of the best linebackers in the country; second, and more importantly in the long run, he will understand this recognition brings a responsibility to give back.”
About the Butkus Award: Established in 1985, the Butkus Award honors linebackers at the high school, collegiate, and professional levels while supporting causes important to the Butkus family. These causes include the Butkus Takes Heart™ initiative, promoting early cardiovascular screening, and the I Play Clean® initiative, encouraging natural training without performance-enhancing drugs. A panel of 51 experts guides the selection process. The Butkus Foundation has presented the high school and professional awards since 2008, with the collegiate award now in its 40th season.
