Georgia Linebacker Jalon Walker Named Butkus Award Winner
(press release) ATHENS, Ga. – 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).
The Butkus Award Selection Committee said, “Jalon Walker’s versatility distinguished his
contribution to Georgia’s defense. He lined up all over the field and was impactful making plays at critical times on big stages. His all-around performance and hybrid skill set rose to the top of a very strong, deserving group of linebackers that was as equally distributed in vote totals as any race the past two decades.”
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.
The Butkus Award selection committee focuses on qualities that defined Dick Butkus’ career: toughness, on-field leadership, competitiveness, football character and linebacking skills.
A Butkus Award celebration featuring the 2024 winners is planned Saturday, February 1, 2025,
at Memorial Stadium at the University of Illinois, where the Award’s namesake the late Dick Butkus established his legendary career. The celebration will be featured in the Butkus Award special airing on the Big Ten Network in February 2025. More information will be at available www.butkusfoundation.org.
Last season’s collegiate winner was Payton Wilson of North Carolina State (now Pittsburgh
Steelers), the high school winner was Sammy Brown of Jefferson, Ga. (now Clemson) and the pro winner was Roquan Smith of the Baltimore Ravens, who also won the pro award in 2022 and the collegiate award in 2017.
The 2024 high school Butkus Award was presented to Christian Jones of Omaha Westside earlier this week. The 2024 pro Butkus Award will be presented in January.
About the Butkus Award: Founded in 1985, the Butkus Award honors linebackers at three
levels while supporting causes important to the Butkus family. Causes include Butkus Takes Heart™ initiative encouraging early cardiovascular screening among adults, and the I Play Clean® initiative encouraging athletes to train naturally without performance-enhancing drugs.
The Butkus Foundation has presented the high school and professional awards since 2008. The collegiate award is now in its 40th season.
