CHICAGO — The Butkus Foundation today announced the preseason watch list for the 42nd annual Butkus Award®, presented each year to the nation's top collegiate linebacker. The 51-player watch list honors Dick Butkus' 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.
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's candidates.
The Butkus Award remains one of college football's 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.
The Foundation also announced that its Takes Heart™ partnership with Carle Illinois College of Medicine will again be featured during the annual Butkus Award television special on the Big Ten Network. The initiative continues Dick Butkus' commitment to cardiovascular disease prevention after a coronary artery calcium (CAC) scan in 2001 helped identify serious heart disease and ultimately extended his life by more than two decades. Today, Takes Heart™ promotes early detection, education, and access to life-saving cardiovascular screening while supporting research into the next generation of AI-enhanced preventive medicine.
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's Kam Robinson is the only returning semifinalist.
"Every player on this watch list has earned the opportunity to compete for one of football's highest honors," said Matt Butkus of the Butkus Foundation. "My Dad believed great linebackers changed games through preparation, toughness, intelligence, and relentless effort. Those qualities still define this Award today. Through Takes Heart, we're proud that his legacy continues to make a difference beyond football by encouraging people to take charge of their heart health through early detection and prevention."
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.
The recipient will be recognized during the Butkus Award celebration in early 2027 and featured in the annual Big Ten Network Butkus Award special.
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.
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.
About the Butkus Award®
Founded in 1985, the Butkus Award® honors the nation's 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's Takes Heart™ 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® initiative.
National College Football Awards Association
The Butkus Award® is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which encompasses college football's most prestigious awards. The NCFAA's 25 awards have honored nearly 1,000 recipients since 1935. This season, 12 NCFAA awards recognize National Players of the Week each Tuesday.
Remaining 2026 Preseason Watch List Schedule
- Fri., Aug. 14 — Ray Guy Award
- Mon., Aug. 17 — Walter Camp Award
- Tue., Aug. 18 — Doak Walker Award
- Wed., Aug. 19 — Biletnikoff Award
- Thu., Aug. 20 — Davey O'Brien Award
- Fri., Aug. 21 — Bednarik Award
For more information about the NCFAA and its member awards, visit NCFAA.org or follow @NCFAA on X and @TheNCFAA on Instagram.
2026 BUTKUS AWARD® COLLEGIATE WATCH LIST
Xe’ree Alexander, Washington
Xavier Atkins, Auburn
Maverick Baranowski, Minnesota
Rasheem Biles, Texas
Troy Bowles, Michigan
Drayk Bowen, Notre Dame**
Sammy Brown, Clemson**
Taye Brown, Arizona
Gary Bryant, Syracuse
Amare Campbell, Tennessee
Arion Carter, Tennessee
Owen Chambliss, Nebraska
Chris Cole, Georgia
Ray Coney, Texas A&M
Jahleel Culbreath, UCF
John Curry, Texas Tech
TJ Dottery, LSU
Kooper Ebel, Penn State
Jaxton Eck, New Mexico
Kyle Efford, Georgia Tech
Myles Graham, Florida
Jordan Hall, Michigan State
Rolijah Hardy, Indiana
Owen Heineke, Oklahoma
Isaiah Jones, Indiana
Gideon Lampron, Colorado
Trey Lathan, Kansas
Liona Lefau, Colorado
Kip Lewis, Oklahoma
Owen Long, Arizona State
Braylan Lovelace, Pittsburgh
Luke Mergott, Duke
Jayden Montgomery, Iowa
Blayne Myrick, Miami-Ohio
Sammy Omosigho, UCLA
Mason Posa, Wisconsin
Ben Roberts, Texas Tech
Kam Robinson, Virginia*
Austin Romaine, Texas Tech
Matt Rose, Stanford
Peyton Seelman, North Carolina
Keaton Thomas, Mississippi
Jonathan Thompson, Cincinnati
Mohamed Toure, Miami-Fla.
Cade Uluave, BYU
Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa, Notre Dame
Whit Weeks, LSU
Ethan Wesloski, Oklahoma State
Raylen Wilson, Georgia
Daniel Wingate, Maryland
Caleb Woodson, Alabama
* — Returning Semifinalist
** — High School Butkus Award Winner
