Jalon Walker Wins 2024 Butkus Award for best linebacker, Past Winners

Georgia's Jalon Walker wins 2024 Butkus Award for nation's best linebacker, List of past winners 

– The 40th annual collegiate Butkus Award® honoring the nation’s best collegiate linebacker was presented today to Georgia linebacker Jalon Walker. The award was presented formally during a surprise appearance by Matt Butkus, son of linebacker legend Dick Butkus.

The 6-2, 245-lb. junior linebacker from Salisbury, N.C., has lined up inside and outside and produced 57 tackles, including 10.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks with two fumble recoveries and a pass breakup. Walker is the third Georgia Bulldog to win the award, all in the last eight years, joining Nakobe Dean (2021) and Roquan Smith (2017).

Walker received 33% of first-place votes and led the field with 26% of the overall vote, followed by Danny Stutsman of Oklahoma (19%), Barrett Carter of Clemson (17%), Carson Schwesinger of UCLA (16%) and Chris Paul Jr. of Mississippi (14%). Additionally, Jay Higgins of Iowa, Nick Martin of Oklahoma State, Jackson Woodard of UNLV and Shaun Dolac of Buffalo each received write-in votes.

Best Linebacker: Butkus Award Winners List by year 1985-2024

2024_Jalon Walker, Georgia

2023_Payton Wilson, NC State

2022_Jack Campbell, Iowa

2021_Nakobe Dean, Georgia

2020_Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Notre Dame

2019_Isaiah Simmons, Clemson

2018_Devin White, LSU

2017_Roquan Smith, Georgia

2016_Reuben Foster, Alabama

2015_Jaylon Smith, Notre Dame

2014_Eric Kendricks, UCLA

2013_C.J. Mosley, Alabama

2012_Manti Te’o, Notre Dame

2011_Luke Kuechly, Boston College

2010_Von Miller, Texas A&M

2009_Rolando McClain, Alabama

2008_Aaron Curry, Wake Forest

2007_James Laurinaitis, Ohio State

2006_Patrick Willis, Mississippi

2005_Paul Posluszny, Penn State

2004_Derrick Johnson, Texas

2003_Teddy Lehman, Oklahoma

2002_E.J. Henderson, Maryland

2001_Rocky Calmus, Oklahoma

2000_Dan Morgan, Miami

1999_LaVar Arrington, Penn State

1998_Chris Claiborne, Southern Cal

1997_Andy Katzenmoyer, Ohio State

1996_Matt Russell, Colorado

1995_Kevin Hardy, Illinois

1994_Dana Howard, Illinois

1993_Trev Alberts, Nebraska

1992_Marvin Jones, Florida State

1991_Erick Anderson, Michigan

1990_Alfred Williams, Colorado

1989_Percy Snow, Michigan State

1988_Derrick Thomas, Alabama

1987_Paul McGowan, Florida State

1986_Brian Bosworth, Oklahoma

1985_Brian Bosworth, Oklahoma

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