BUTKUS AWARD
First presented in 1985 to honor the nation’s best collegiate linebacker by the Downtown Athletic Club of Orlando, Fla. The award is named after Dick Butkus, twotime consensus all-American at Illinois and six-time all-pro linebacker with the Chicago Bears.
History of other Major College FB awards
| Year | Winner | Finalist |
| 2024 | Jalon Walker.,Georgia |
Danny Stutsman -Oklahoma
Barrett Carter -Clemson Carson Schwesinger -UCLA Chris Paul Jr. -Mississippi
|
| 2023 | Payton Wilson, NC State |
Ty’Ron Hopper, Missouri Jeremiah Trotter Jr., Clemson Edefuan Ulofoshio, Washington Nathaniel Watson, Mississippi State |
| 2022 | Jack Campbell- Iowa |
Drew
Sanders,
Arkansas Jamon Dumas-Johnson. Georgia Daiyan Henley, Washington State Ivan Pace Jr.Cincinnati |
| 2021 |
|
Darrian Beavers, Cincinnati
Damone Clark, LSU |
| 2020 | Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah-Notre Dame |
Nick Bolton, Missouri Zaven Collins, Tulsa Devin Lloyd, Utah Monty Rice, Georgia |
| 2019 |
Isaiah Simmons- Clemson
|
’Zack
Baun-Wisconsin Jordyn Brooks-Texas Tech Micah Parsons- Penn State Evan Weaver -California Logan Wilson-.Wyoming |
| 2018 | Devin White-LSU |
Josh Allen-Kentucky Devin Bush-Michigan Tre Lamar-Clemson Dylan Moses-Alabama |
| 2017 | Roquan Smith-Georgia |
|
| 2016 | Reuben Foster-Alabama |
Zach
Cunningham-
Vanderbilt Jarrad Davis- Florida Kendall Beckwith-LSU Josey Jewell-.Iowa |
| 2015 |
Jaylon Smith-Notre Dame
|
Reggie Ragland-Alabama
Raekwon McMillan -Ohio State Leonard Floyd-Georgia Deion Jones -Louisiana State |
| 2014 | Eric Kendricks-UCLA |
Denzel Perryman-Miami
(Fla) Jaylon Smith-Notre Dame Hao'oli Kikaha -Washington Scooby Wright- Arizona |
| 2013 | C.J. Mosley-Alabama |
Anthony Barr-UCLA Khalil Mack-Buffalo Ryan Shazier-Ohio State Shayne Skov-Stanford |
| 2012 | Manti Te’o-Notre Dame |
Jarvis Jones-Georgia Dion Jordan-Oregon Kevin Minter-LSU C.J. Mosley-Alabama |
| 2011 |
Luke Kuechly-Boston College |
Dont’a Hightower-Alabama
Courtney Upshaw-Alabama Manti Te’o-Notre Dame Lavonte David-Nebraska Jarvis Jones- Georgia |
| 2010 | Von Miller-Texas A&M |
Justin Houston-
Georgia Bruce Carter-North Carolina Luke Kuechly-Boston College Akeem Ayers-UCLA |
| 2009 | Rolando McClain , Alabama, Junior |
Sergio Kindle, Texas
Eric Norwood, South Carolina Brandon Spikes, Florida Sean Weatherspoon, Missouri |
| 2008 | Aaron Curry , Wake Forest , Senior |
Rey Maualuga - Southern California
James Laurinaitis, Ohio State Brian Cushing - Southern California Mark Herzlich -Boston College |
| 2007 | James Laurinaitis, Ohio State, Junior |
Dan Connor, Penn
State Jordon Dizon, Colorado |
| 2006 | Patrick Willis, Mississippi, Senior |
James Laurinaitis,
Ohio State Paul Posluszny, Penn State |
| 2005 | Paul Posluszny, Penn State, Junior |
A.J. Hawk, Ohio
State DeMeco Ryans, Alabama |
| 2004 | Derrick Johnson-Texas |
Matt Grootegoed ,
- Southern California Ahmad Brooks , Virginia |
| 2003 | Teddy Lehman-Oklahoma |
Derrick Johnson-Texas
Jonathan Vilma-Miami (FL) |
| 2002 | E.J. Henderson-Maryland |
Teddy Lehman-Oklahoma Courtney Watson-Notre Dame |
|
2001 |
Rocky Calmus-Oklahoma |
E.J. Henderson-Maryland Rober Thomas-UCLA |
|
2000 |
Dan Morgan-Miami |
Keith Adams-Clemson Rocky Calmus-Oklahoma |
| 1999 |
LaVar Arrington-Penn State |
Brandon Short,-Penn State Mark Simoneau-Kansas State Raynoch Thompson-Tennessee |
| 1998 |
Chris Claiborne-Southern. California |
Jevon Kearse-Florida Dat Nguyen-Texas A & M |
| 1997 |
Andy Katzenmoyer-Ohio State |
Kivuusama Mays-North Carolina Sam Cowart-Florida State |
| 1996 |
Matt Russell-Colorado |
Pat Fitzgerald-Northwestern Canute Curtis-West Virginia |
| 1995 |
Kevin Hardy-Illinois |
Ray Lewis-Miami Zach Thomas-Texas Tech |
| 1994 |
Dana Howard-Illinois |
Ted Johnson-Colorado Ed Stewart-Nebraska |
| 1993 |
Trev Alberts-Nebraska |
Derrick Brooks-Florida State Jamir Miller-UCLA |
| 1992 |
Marvin Jones-Florida State |
Michael Barrow,-Miami David Hoffmann-Washington |
| 1991 |
Erick Anderson-Michigan |
Robert Jones-East Carolina Marco Coleman-.Georgia Tech |
| 1990 | Alfred Williams-Colorado |
Derrick Brownlow-llinois Michael Stonebreaker-Notre Dame Maurice Crum-Miami Levon Kirkland-Clemson |
| 1989 |
Percy Snow-Michigan State |
Keith McCants-Alabama James Francis-Baylor Andre Collins-Penn State Ron Cox-Fresno State |
| 1988 | Derrick Thomas-Alabama |
Broderick Thomas-Nebraska Mike Stonebreaker-Notre Dame Keith DeLong-Tennessee Percy Snow-Michigan State |
| 1987 | Paul McGowan-Florida State |
Chris Spielman-Ohio State Dante Jones-Oklahoma |
| 1986 | Brian Bosworth-Oklahoma |
Cornelius Bennett-Alabama Chris Spielman-Ohio State Shane Conlan-Penn State Byron Evans-Arizona |
|
1985 |
Brian Bosworth-Oklahoma |
Larry Station,-Iowa Michael Brooks-LSU Mike Mallory-Michigan Alonzo Johnson-Florida |