High school Butkus Award semifinal list features some of nation’s most coveted recruits

The Butkus foundation has announced the list of 16 semifinalists for the 2021 High School Butkus Award. The award is annually given to high school football’s top linebacker. The list of semifinalists features a who’s who of names recruiting and college football fans are familiar with.

The highest-ranked player on the list is five-star Harold Perkins of Cypress (Texas) Cy Park. Perkins is ranked as a five-star in the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

Perkins lists Alabama, Texas, Texas A&M, LSU and Michigan State as his top teams. The latest intel from On3’s Chad Simmons says to keep a close eye on LSU with Perkins.

Ohio State commitment C.J. Hicks of Dayton (Ohio) Archbishop Alter is another Butkus semifinalist. The 6-foot-3, 210-pound Hicks is also a five-star and the No. 10 player in the country in the On3 Consensus. Hicks earned the nickname “Captain Buckeye” after he committed to Ohio State in May 2020. He took on a significant role in helping the Buckeyes land other coveted recruits. 

Jaylen Sneed, another On3 Consensus five-star, also made the Butkus semifinal list. Sneed, who is the No. 25 player in the country out of Hilton Head, S.C., is a longtime Notre Dame commitment. He’s having a standout senior season, according to On3 Director of Scouting and Rankings Charles Power.

“We’ve seen Sneed transfer his athleticism to the field and he’s making plays off the ball in addition to offense,” Power said.

More top commits make Butkus list

Another Butkus semifinalist is On3 Consensus four-star linebacker Shawn Murphy, an Alabama commitment. Murphy, who is from Manassas (Va.) Unity Reed, ranks as the No. 43 player overall in On3 Consensus. Smith says he can’t wait to play in the Alabama defense.

“Alabama’s defense is very electric and intense, and I love the way they play,” Murphy said.

Another Ohio State commit – Gabe Powers of Marysville, Ohio – also made the list of Butkus semifinalists. He’s a four-star and the No. 52 player in the country, according to the On3 Consensus.

Indiana athlete pledge Dasan McCullough of Bloomington (Ind.) South also made the Butkus semifinal list. The 6-foot-5, 228-pounder is the highest-ranked recruit Indiana has landed in the modern era of recruiting. He is No. 54 in the On3 Consensus.

Georgia linebacker commit Jalon Walker of Salisbury, N.C., is another Butkus semifinalist. The 6-foot-2, 220-pound Walker is ranked as the No. 63 player in the country in the On3 Consensus. Walker has done his part in helping Georgia reel in more high-level recruits and build the nation’s second-ranked recruiting class, according to the On3 Consensus Team Recruiting Rank.

Other semifinalists:

• Four-star Notre Dame commit Joshua Burnham of Traverse City (Mich.) Central. He ranks No. 108 in the On3 Consensus.
• Four-star Notre Dame commit Niuafe Tuihalamaka of Mission Hills (Calif.) Bishop Alemany. He ranks No. 141 in the On3 Consensus.
• On3 Consensus four-star Lander Barton of Salt Lake City (Utah) Brighton. Barton lists Notre Dame, Oregon, Michigan and UCLA as his top teams.
• Four-star Notre Dame commit Nolan Ziegler of Grand Rapids (Mich.) Catholic Central. He ranks No. 209 in the On300.
• On3 Consensus four-star Stone Blanton of Madison (Miss.) Madison-Ridgeland Academy. Blanton lists Texas A&M, Ole Miss, South Carolina, Mississippi State and Kentucky as his top teams.
• Four-star Oregon commit Devon Jackson of Omaha Burke. He ranks No. 168 in the On3 Consensus.
• Four-star Oklahoma commit Kobie McKinzie of Lubbock (Texas) Cooper. He ranks No. 175 in the On3 Consensus.
• Four-star linebacker Jimmy Rolder of Chicago Marist. He ranks as the No. 359 player in the On3 Consensus.
• On3 Consensus four-star and Alabama commit Robert Woodyard. He ranks as the No. 156 player in the On3 Consensus.

Past winners of the Butkus Award on the high school level include: Prince Kollie, Justin Flowe, Nakobe Dean, Solomon Tuliaupupu, Dylan Moses, Caleb Kelly, Malik Jefferson, Manti Te’o and others. The award has been given out at the high school level since 2008.