Butkus Award Names 15 Semifinalists

The Butkus Award named 15 college football players to its list of semifinalists, including five from the Pac-12 conference who had the most players represented on the list

15 linebackers were named semifinalists for the Butkus Award given annually to the nation’s most outstanding linebacker, including five from the Pac-12 who had the most players represented and four from the SEC who had the second most as the conference looks to keep the award in the conference after Alabama’s C.J. Mosley took the honors last year.

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Three schools have two nominees as Myles Jack and Eric Kendricks from UCLA, Jordan Jenkins and Ramik Wilson from Georgia and Hau’oli Kikaha and Shaq Thompson from Washington made the cut down to 15.

As far as the biggest notable omissions at first glance would be Jordan Hicks from Texas did not make the list of semifinalists despite having 96 combined tackles, the third most in the nation and the most among players from the Power 5 conferences and Scooby Wright from Arizona who has 78 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, eight sacks and five forced fumbles.

Here is the complete list in alphabetical order:

Stephone Anthony, Clemson Tigers
Myles Jack, UCLA Bruins
Jordan Jenkins, Georgia Bulldogs
A.J. Johnson, Tennessee Volunteers
Eric Kendricks, UCLA Bruins
Hau’oli Kikaha, Washington Huskies
Benardrick McKinney, Mississippi State Bulldogs
Denzel Perryman, Miami Hurricanes
Hayes Pullard, USC Trojans
Reggie Ragland, Alabama Crimson Tide
Jake Ryan, Michigan Wolverines
Jaylon Smith, Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Eric Striker, Oklahoma Sooners
Shaq Thompson, Washington Huskies
Ramik Wilson, Georgia Bulldogs

Kendricks is the leading tackler of the group with 93 with Johnson on his heels with 86 while Kikaha leads the nation with 14.5 sacks and 19.5 tackles for loss.

Who do you think would be the Butkus Award winner if the season ended today? Who do you think ultimately wins the award? Let your voice be heard in the comments section below.

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The Butkus Award named 15 college football players to its list of semifinalists, including five from the Pac-12 conference who had the most players represented on the list

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