Jalon Walker named finalist for 2024 Butkus Award

Georgia Bulldogs football linebacker Jalon Walker has been named a finalist for the 2024 Butkus Award, The Butkus Foundation has announced.

The Butkus Award, named after legendary linebacker Dick Butkus, is an annual college football award given to the nation’s best linebacker by The Butkus Foundation.

Walker joins Clemson’s Barrett Carter, Oklahoma’s Danny Stutsman, Ole Miss’ Chris Paul Jr., and UCLA’s Carson Schwesinger as finalists. The winner of the 2024 Butkus Award will be named on or before Tuesday, Dec. 10.

Nakobe Dean is the last UGA player to claim the Butkus Award as the nation’s top linebacker. Dean was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft.

Jalon Walker (6-2, 245) hails from Salisbury, N.C. Through 11 games this season, Walker is fourth on the team with 48 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, and 5.5 sacks. He also has a pair of fumble recoveries.

Last month, Jalon Walker was named a Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Semifinalist. That award is given annually to the college football player who has “…demonstrated a record of leadership by exhibiting exceptional courage, integrity and sportsmanship both on and off the field.”

The Georgia Bulldogs (9-2, 6-2 SEC) are next scheduled to host the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on Friday, Nov. 29 at Dooley Field at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Ga. The game will be televised by ABC at 7:30pm ET (Buy Tickets).

2024 UGA Football Schedule

Jalon Walker has been named one of five finalists for the 𝐁𝐮𝐭𝐤𝐮𝐬 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝

🔗: https://t.co/5vfKl3qaL0#GoDawgs | @JalonWlaker pic.twitter.com/GYqrxnsTab

— Georgia Football (@GeorgiaFootball) November 25, 2024