Two Notre Dame commits named High School Butkus Award semifinalists

On Monday, Notre Dame 2024 class linebacker pledges Bodie Kahoun and Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa were named semifinalists for the 2023 High School Butkus Award. The pair of Fighting Irish verbal commitments comprise a sixth of the semifinalist list for the award that honors the nation’s top linebacker.

The Butkus Award plans to release finalists on Nov. 21. It will announce the winner on Dec. 7. It initially had 51 high school football linebackers on a September watch list, including Irish four-star EDGE commit Bryce Young from Charlotte (N.C.) Christian. 

Last year, Notre Dame linebacker Drayk Bowen won the award after an outstanding senior season at Merrillville (Ind.) Andrean. In 14 games, he registered 144 total tackles (90 solo), 19 tackles for loss and five sacks. Not to mention five pass breakups, four caused fumbles, two interceptions, a fumble recovery and a blocked punt.

Former Notre Dame linebackers Manti Te’o (2008), Jaylon Smith (2012) and Prince Kollie (2020) previously earned the honor in high school. Smith and Te’o are the only players to win the high school and collegiate awards. Kollie transferred to Vanderbilt in the spring after two seasons with the Irish.

Notre Dame commits Kahoun, Viliamu-Asa worthy of the recognition

The 6-foot-3, 215-pound Kahoun is having a remarkable senior campaign. The three-star recruit from Roanoke (Va.) Patrick Henry High has registered 177 tackles (100 solo), 22 tackles for loss, 7 sacks and a pass breakup in 10 regular season games. He also has 3 fumble recoveries, 1 forced fumble and a blocked punt. 

Kahoun is the No. 484 overall player, No. 47 linebacker and No. 9 prospect and Virginia in the 2024 recruiting class, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a proprietary algorithm that compiles ratings and rankings from all four primary recruiting media services.

Bellflower (Calif.) St. John Bosco’s Viliamu-Asa is also having a terrific senior year. The 6-2, 235-pounder had 68 tackles (31 solo), 10 tackles for loss and 1 sack in the first nine games of the 2023 season. While competing against some of the nation’s top high school football competition, he also has 2 pass breakups, a fumble recovery and an interception. 

Viliamu-Asa is the highest-ranked defensive commit in Notre Dame’s 2024 class. He is the No. 75 overall player, No. 7 linebacker nationally and No. 7 prospect in California. He pledged to the Irish on July 23 over Ohio State, Southern California and 26 other Power Five offers. 

Kahoun committed to Notre Dame on May 15 over Virginia Tech, North Carolina, Tennessee and 12 other Power Five offers. 

Kahoun and Viliamu Asa’s high school football teams both kick off postseason play this week. Patrick Henry High and Kahoun will face Roanoke (Va.) Fleming in the NHSL Class 5 region quarterfinal. St. John Bosco and Viliamu-Asa take on vs. San Clemente (Calif.) High in the CIF/Southern Section DI quarterfinal. 

Butkus Award Semifinalists

These 12 recruits were named Butkus Award semifinalists. 

• Jefferson (Ga.) High senior Sammy Brown (Notre Dame offer, Clemson commit)
• Olney (Md.) Our Lady of Good Counsel senior Aaron Chiles (Notre Dame offer, Florida commit)
• Salem (Va.) High senior Chris Cole (Notre Dame offer, Georgia commit)
• Arden (N.C.) Christ School senior Cayden Jones (Notre Dame offer, Alabama commit)
• Roanoke (Va.) Patrick Henry senior Bodie Kahoun (Notre Dame commit)
• Fairfax (Va.) High senior Kris Jones (Notre Dame offer, Georgia commit)
• Lucas (Texas) Lovejoy senior Payton Pierce (Notre Dame offer, Ohio State commit)
• Yelm (Wash.) High senior Brayden Platt (Notre Dame offer, Oregon commit)
• Clanton (Ala.) Chilton County senior Demarcus Riddick (Notre Dame offer, former Georgia commit that flipped to Auburn)
• Bellflower (Calif.) St. John Bosco senior Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa (Notre Dame commit)
• Williamsburg (Iowa) High senior Derek Weisskopf (Iowa commit)
• Conroe (Texas) Oak Ridge senior Justin Williams (Notre Dame offer, Georgia commit)