Butkus Award Watch List

MAC Reporter Online continues its roundup of college football award watch lists with the Butkus Award Watch List.

Dick Butkus, whom NFL Films considered the best defensive player in football history, plied his pro trade in a now legendary number "51" jersey. The Butkus Award watch list mirrors that number with 51 players reviewed by a 51-person selection committee of experienced coaches, talent evaluators and journalists who vote by private ballot.

Jaylon Smith (now with the Dallas Cowboys) of Notre Dame was the 2015 collegiate Butkus Award winner. One finalist, Raekwon McMillan of Ohio State) returns to head the 2016 group. That list includes . . . 

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. . . candidates from 44 universities.

One MAC player is on this year's watch list:
​Austin Valdez of Bowling Green. 

Complete list:
 
Ryan Anderson    Alabama
Kendall Beckwith    LSU
Vince Biegel    Wisconsin
Dante Booker    Ohio State
Ben Boulware    Clemson
Tyus Bowser    Houston
Richie Brown    Mississippi State
Riley Bullough    Michigan State
Jason Cabinda    Penn State
Jeff Camilli    Fresno State
Lorenzo Carter    Georgia
Jermaine Carter    Maryland
Zach Cunningham    Vanderbilt
Kevin Davis    Colorado State
Jarrad Davis    Florida
Nick DeLuca    North Dakota State
Brooks Ellis    Arkansas
Jordan Evans    Oklahoma
Devonte' Fields    Louisville
Salamo Fiso    Arizona State
Reuben Foster    Alabama
T.J. Holloman    South Carolina
Travin Howard    TCU
Shane Huber    Massachusetts
Malik Jefferson    Texas
Josey Jewell    Iowa
Peter Kalambayi    Stanford
Harvey Langi    BYU
Keith Kelsey    Louisville
Micah Kiser    Virginia
Elijah Lee    Kansas State
Raekwon McMillan    Ohio State
Matt Milano    Boston College
Charmeachealle Moore    Kansas State
Nyles Morgan    Notre Dame
Calvin Munson    San Diego State
Hardy Nickerson    Illinois
Jalen Reeves-Maybin    Tennessee
T.J. Ricks    Old Dominion
Auggie Sanchez    South Florida
Michael Scherer    Missouri
Cameron Smith    USC
Steven Taylor    Houston
Austin Valdez    Bowling Green
Tanner Vallejo    Boise State
Azeem Victor    Washington
Anthony Walker    Northwestern
Nyeem Warman-White    Penn State
Tim Williams    Alabama
Eric Wilson    Cincinnati
Taylor Young    Baylor

Semifinalists will be named Oct. 31, finalists Nov. 21 and winners will be notified on or before Dec. 6. 

Formed in 1985, the Butkus Award was expanded in 2008 to honor linebackers at three levels while helping spread the word about Butkus’ I Play Clean™ initiative which encourages teens to eat well, train hard, and play with attitude instead of resorting to performance-enhancing drugs. 

The 2015 Butkus Award winners:

Professional: Luke Kuechly, Carolina Panthers
Collegiate: Jaylon Smith, Notre Dame (now Dallas Cowboys)
High School: Caleb Kelly, Clovis West, Calif. (now Oklahoma)