Georgia’s Jalon Walker wins 2024 Butkus Award as nation’s top linebacker

Georgia football linebacker Jalon Walker has been named the winner of 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.

Other finalists for the award this season were Clemson’s Barrett Carter, Oklahoma’s Danny Stutsman, Ole Miss’ Chris Paul Jr., and UCLA’s Carson Schwesinger.

Nakobe Dean was 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 13 games this season, Walker is fourth on the team with 57 tackles (35 solo, 22 assisted), 10.5 tackles for loss (50 yards), and 6.5 sacks (41 yards). He also has a pair of fumble recoveries and six quarterback hurries.

In October, 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 SEC Champion Bulldogs, who finished the regular-season 11-2 overall, are next scheduled to play in the College Football Playoff Quarterfinal at the Allstate Sugar Bowl on Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025, at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, La. (8:45pm ET, ESPN). Georgia will face the winner of the First Round matchup between Indiana and Notre Dame.

2024 UGA Football Schedule

𝐉𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐧 𝐖𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒 𝐁𝐮𝐭𝐤𝐮𝐬 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫#GoDawgs | @JalonWlaker pic.twitter.com/FZ7dRFcdmv

— Georgia Football (@GeorgiaFootball) December 11, 2024

The moment Jalon Walker found out he was the Butkus Award Winner#GoDawgs pic.twitter.com/Wsv3XRv7l8

— Georgia Football (@GeorgiaFootball) December 11, 2024