Photo by: Richard Svaleson
Nick DeLuca Lone FCS Player Named to Butkus Award Watch List
7/12/2016 9:45:00 AM | Football
CHICAGO – The 32nd annual Butkus Award® honoring the nation's best linebackers kicked off its 2016 selection process today by announcing its collegiate and high school pre-season watch lists. North Dakota State senior Nick DeLuca was the only nominee from the Football Championship Subdivision.
Mirroring the legendary "51" pro jersey of the award's namesake Dick Butkus whom NFL Films considers the best defensive player in football history, each watch list features 51 players who will be reviewed by a 51-person selection panel of deeply experienced coaches, talent evaluators and journalists who vote by private ballot. Appearance on the watch list is not required to become a semi-finalist.
The Collegiate Butkus Award watch list includes candidates from 44 universities. It includes one returning finalist, Raekwon McMillan of Ohio State, who won the 2013 national high school Butkus Award.
The High School Butkus Award watch list includes candidates from 17 states, with Florida (8), Georgia (7), Texas (6), Alabama (5) and California (5) producing the most candidates.
Semi-finalists will be named October 31, finalists November 21, and winners will be notified on or before December 6. The Pro Butkus Award winner will be announced in early 2017.
The 2015 Butkus Award winners:
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. More information is available at www.iplayclean.org.
The Butkus Award, www.thebutkusaward.com and on Facebook at 51.butkus, is presented by the Butkus Foundation, a 501c3 non-profit organization. The Butkus Award is part of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA) which includes the 22 most prestigious awards in college football with 722 years of selection excellence. Visit www.NCFAA.org for more information.
2016 Collegiate Butkus Award Watch List
Ryan Anderson, University of Alabama
Kendall Beckwith, Louisiana State University
Vince Biegel, University of Wisconsin
Dante Booker, The Ohio State University
Ben Boulware, Clemson University
Tyus Bowser, University of Houston
Richie Brown, Mississippi State University
Riley Bullough, Michigan State University
Jason Cabinda, Penn State University
Jeff Camilli, Fresno State University
Lorenzo Carter, University of Georgia
Jermaine Carter, University of Maryland
Zach Cunningham, Vanderbilt University
Kevin Davis, Colorado State University
Jarrad Davis, University of Florida
Nick DeLuca, North Dakota State University
Brooks Ellis, University of Arkansas
Jordan Evans, University of Oklahoma
Devonte' Fields, University of Louisville
Salamo Fiso, Arizona State University
Reuben Foster, University of Alabama
T.J. Holloman, University of South Carolina
Travin Howard, Texas Christian University
Shane Huber, University of Massachusetts
Malik Jefferson, University of Texas
Josey Jewell, University of Iowa
Peter Kalambayi, Stanford University
Harvey Kangi, Brigham Young University
Keith Kelsey, University of Louisville
Micah Kiser, University of Virginia
Elijah Lee, Kansas State University
Raekwon McMillan, The Ohio State University
Matt Milano, Boston College
Charmeachealle Moore, Kansas State University
Nyles Morgan, University of Notre Dame
Calvin Munson, San Diego State University
Hardy Nickerson, University of Illinois
Jalen Reeves-Maybin, University of Tennessee
T.J. Ricks, Old Dominion University
Auggie Sanchez, University of South Florida
Michael Scherer, University of Missouri
Cameron Smith, University of Southern California
Steven Taylor, University of Houston
Austin Valdez, Bowling Green University
Tanner Vallejo, Boise State University
Azeem Victor, University of Washington
Anthony Walker, Northwestern University
Nyeem Warman-White, Penn State University
Tim Williams, University of Alabama
Eric Wilson, University of Cincinnati
Taylor Young, Baylor University
Mirroring the legendary "51" pro jersey of the award's namesake Dick Butkus whom NFL Films considers the best defensive player in football history, each watch list features 51 players who will be reviewed by a 51-person selection panel of deeply experienced coaches, talent evaluators and journalists who vote by private ballot. Appearance on the watch list is not required to become a semi-finalist.
The Collegiate Butkus Award watch list includes candidates from 44 universities. It includes one returning finalist, Raekwon McMillan of Ohio State, who won the 2013 national high school Butkus Award.
The High School Butkus Award watch list includes candidates from 17 states, with Florida (8), Georgia (7), Texas (6), Alabama (5) and California (5) producing the most candidates.
Semi-finalists will be named October 31, finalists November 21, and winners will be notified on or before December 6. The Pro Butkus Award winner will be announced in early 2017.
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)
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. More information is available at www.iplayclean.org.
The Butkus Award, www.thebutkusaward.com and on Facebook at 51.butkus, is presented by the Butkus Foundation, a 501c3 non-profit organization. The Butkus Award is part of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA) which includes the 22 most prestigious awards in college football with 722 years of selection excellence. Visit www.NCFAA.org for more information.
2016 Collegiate Butkus Award Watch List
Ryan Anderson, University of Alabama
Kendall Beckwith, Louisiana State University
Vince Biegel, University of Wisconsin
Dante Booker, The Ohio State University
Ben Boulware, Clemson University
Tyus Bowser, University of Houston
Richie Brown, Mississippi State University
Riley Bullough, Michigan State University
Jason Cabinda, Penn State University
Jeff Camilli, Fresno State University
Lorenzo Carter, University of Georgia
Jermaine Carter, University of Maryland
Zach Cunningham, Vanderbilt University
Kevin Davis, Colorado State University
Jarrad Davis, University of Florida
Nick DeLuca, North Dakota State University
Brooks Ellis, University of Arkansas
Jordan Evans, University of Oklahoma
Devonte' Fields, University of Louisville
Salamo Fiso, Arizona State University
Reuben Foster, University of Alabama
T.J. Holloman, University of South Carolina
Travin Howard, Texas Christian University
Shane Huber, University of Massachusetts
Malik Jefferson, University of Texas
Josey Jewell, University of Iowa
Peter Kalambayi, Stanford University
Harvey Kangi, Brigham Young University
Keith Kelsey, University of Louisville
Micah Kiser, University of Virginia
Elijah Lee, Kansas State University
Raekwon McMillan, The Ohio State University
Matt Milano, Boston College
Charmeachealle Moore, Kansas State University
Nyles Morgan, University of Notre Dame
Calvin Munson, San Diego State University
Hardy Nickerson, University of Illinois
Jalen Reeves-Maybin, University of Tennessee
T.J. Ricks, Old Dominion University
Auggie Sanchez, University of South Florida
Michael Scherer, University of Missouri
Cameron Smith, University of Southern California
Steven Taylor, University of Houston
Austin Valdez, Bowling Green University
Tanner Vallejo, Boise State University
Azeem Victor, University of Washington
Anthony Walker, Northwestern University
Nyeem Warman-White, Penn State University
Tim Williams, University of Alabama
Eric Wilson, University of Cincinnati
Taylor Young, Baylor University
Players Mentioned
LB
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