Two Bulldogs named to 2026 Butkus Award Watch List

Georgia football linebackers Chris Cole and Raylen Wilson have each been named to the 2026 Butkus Award Watch List, 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.

Allen and Cole are among the 51 linebackers named to the list. Other SEC linebackers include Xavier Atkins (Auburn), Rasheem Biles (Texas), Amare Campbell (Tennessee), Arion Carter (Tennessee), Ray Coney (Texas A&M), TJ Dottery (LSU), Myles Graham (Florida), Owen Heineke (Oklahoma), Kip Lewis (Oklahoma), Keaton Thomas (Mississippi), Whit Weeks (LSU), and Caleb Woodson (Alabama).

Semifinalists for the Butkus Award will be announced on Wednesday, October 28, followed by the finalists on Friday, November 20. The winner of the 2026 Butkus Award will be named during the week of December 7th.

Cole, a 6-foot-3, 235-pound junior, is a native of Salem, Va. He played all 14 games last season with one start. He recorded 59 tackles (35 solo), seven tackles for loss, and 4.5 sacks.

Raylen Wilson, a 6-foot-1, 235-pound senior from Tallahassee, Fla., started all 14 games in 2025. Wilson tallied 74 tackles (30 solo), 6.5 tackles for loss for 22 yards, 2.5 sacks for 19 yards, one pass break-up, and 23 quarterback pressures.

The back-to-back SEC champion Georgia Bulldogs are scheduled to open the 2026 season on Saturday, September 5 against the Tennessee State Tigers at Dooley Field at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Ga. The game will kickoff at 3:00pm ET and will be a streaming-only event on SEC Network+ (Buy Tickets).

UGA Football Schedule

Raylen Wilson and Chris Cole have been named to the Butkus Award Preseason Watchlist! pic.twitter.com/TcfjmnvjGJ

— Georgia Football (@GeorgiaFootball) August 13, 2026