![\"\"](\"https:\/\/draftinsiders.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/ButkusAWard-300x129.webp\")
<\/h3>\n<\/h3>\nThe Butkus Foundation announced their preseason watch list for the 42nd annual Butkus Award, presented each year to the nation\u2019s top collegiate linebacker. The 51-player watch list honors Dick Butkus\u2019 iconic No. 51 jersey and recognizes the toughness, instincts, leadership, competitiveness, and football character that defined one of the greatest defensive players in football history.\u00a0 Photo – Ray Coney – Texas A&M<\/strong><\/p>\n Frank Coyle has been a longtime voter in the Butkus Award since the 1990s. He had a long friendship with Dick that spanned over three decades and enjoyed the HOF Mike backer immensely as a special friend and athlete.<\/strong><\/p>\n The 2026 watch list features 51 linebackers representing 42 colleges and universities from across the country. Returning All-Americans, All-Conference performers, and emerging defensive standouts from across the Football Bowl Subdivision are among this year\u2019s candidates.<\/p>\n The Butkus Award remains one of college football\u2019s most respected individual honors, recognizing linebackers whose performance reflects the standard established by Dick Butkus more than six decades ago at the University of Illinois and throughout his Hall of Fame NFL career.<\/p>\n The 2026 watch list includes representatives from seven conferences, led by the SEC (14), Big Ten (12), Big 12 (12) and ACC (9), with additional representatives from the MAC (1) and Mountain West (1), along with two Independents. Virginia\u2019s Kam Robinson is the only returning semifinalist.<\/p>\n Semifinalists for the 2026 Butkus Award will be announced on October 28th, finalists on November 20th, and the winner will be revealed during the week of December 7th. Selection is based on performance throughout the season, and appearance on the preseason watch list is not required for a player to win the Award.<\/p>\n The recipient will be recognized during the Butkus Award celebration in early 2027 and featured in the annual Big Ten Network Butkus Award special.<\/p>\n The 51-member Butkus Award Selection Committee is comprised of coaches, professional scouts, former players, and members of the media from across the country. Committee members evaluate candidates using the same qualities that defined Dick Butkus throughout his career: instincts, toughness, leadership, competitiveness, football character, and consistent excellence at the linebacker position.<\/p>\n The 2025 Butkus Award winners included collegiate winner Jacob Rodriguez of Texas Tech, now with the Miami Dolphins; high school winner Tyler Atkinson of Grayson High School, now at the University of Texas; and professional winner Jack Campbell of the Detroit Lions.<\/p>\n Founded in 1985, the Butkus Award\u00ae honors the nation\u2019s top linebackers at the high school, collegiate, and professional levels while preserving the legacy of Dick Butkus through excellence in football, cardiovascular health advocacy, and youth character development. Through the Butkus Foundation\u2019s Takes Heart\u2122 initiative and partnership with Carle Illinois College of Medicine, the Foundation supports education, research, and expanded access to preventive cardiovascular screening. The Foundation also promotes natural athletic performance through its longstanding I Play Clean\u00ae initiative.<\/p>\n The Butkus Award\u00ae is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which encompasses college football\u2019s most prestigious awards. The NCFAA\u2019s 25 awards have honored nearly 1,000 recipients since 1935. This season, 12 NCFAA awards recognize National Players of the Week each Tuesday.<\/p>\n Xe\u2019ree Alexander, Washington * \u2014 Returning SemifinalistAbout the Butkus Award<\/h4>\n
Butkus Award 2026 Collegiate Watch List<\/h4>\n
\nXavier Atkins, Auburn
\nMaverick Baranowski, Minnesota
\nRasheem Biles, Texas
\nTroy Bowles, Michigan
\nDrayk Bowen, Notre Dame**
\nSammy Brown, Clemson**
\nTaye Brown, Arizona
\nGary Bryant, Syracuse
\nAmare Campbell, Tennessee
\nArion Carter, Tennessee
\nOwen Chambliss, Nebraska
\nChris Cole, Georgia
\nRay Coney, Texas A&M
\nJahleel Culbreath, UCF
\nJohn Curry, Texas Tech
\nTJ Dottery, LSU
\nKooper Ebel, Penn State
\nJaxton Eck, New Mexico
\nKyle Efford, Georgia Tech
\nMyles Graham, Florida
\nJordan Hall, Michigan State
\nRolijah Hardy, Indiana
\nOwen Heineke, Oklahoma
\nIsaiah Jones, Indiana
\nGideon Lampron, Colorado
\nTrey Lathan, Kansas
\nLiona Lefau, Colorado
\nKip Lewis, Oklahoma
\nOwen Long, Arizona State
\nBraylan Lovelace, Pittsburgh
\nLuke Mergott, Duke
\nJayden Montgomery, Iowa
\nBlayne Myrick, Miami-Ohio
\nSammy Omosigho, UCLA
\nMason Posa, Wisconsin
\nBen Roberts, Texas Tech
\nKam Robinson, Virginia*
\nAustin Romaine, Texas Tech
\nMatt Rose, Stanford
\nPeyton Seelman, North Carolina
\nKeaton Thomas, Mississippi
\nJonathan Thompson, Cincinnati
\nMohamed Toure, Miami-Fla.
\nCade Uluave, BYU
\nKyngstonn Viliamu-Asa, Notre Dame
\nWhit Weeks, LSU
\nEthan Wesloski, Oklahoma State
\nRaylen Wilson, Georgia
\nDaniel Wingate, Maryland
\nCaleb Woodson, Alabama<\/p>\n
\n** \u2014 High School Butkus Award Winner<\/p>\n
![\"image_print\"](\"https:\/\/draftinsiders.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/pdf-print\/images\/print.png\" "\\"Print")