Oregon LB Jestin Jacobs named to Butkus Award watch list
Ahead of his first season with the Oregon Ducks, junior linebacker Jestin Jacobs has been named among the top players in the nation at his position.
On Thursday, the Butkus Award watch list was released and Jacobs was among the 51 players who made the cut. He is one of just six Pac-12 players who were selected. Former Oregon linebacker Justin Flowe, who transferred to Arizona last winter, also landed on the watch list.
A former 4-star signee in the 2019 class, Jacobs committed to Iowa out of high school and started for the Hawkeyes as a redshirt freshman in 2021. That season, he racked up 53 total tackles, forced a fumble, and grabbed an interception.
However, he suffered a knee injury just two games into the 2022 season and was sidelined for the remainder of the year.
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Jacobs was one of the first players Oregon added out of the transfer portal last winter as head coach Dan Lanning and defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi worked to re-shape their linebacker room. He is expected to start for the Ducks alongside junior standout Jeffrey Bassa.
While speaking with reporters in April Jacobs called Oregon, his “dream school.”
“Honestly, sometimes I just sit back. I look at that ‘O.’ I’m walking around this place like, ‘Dang, I’m really at Oregon,’” Jacobs said. “I really started off dreaming of being able to come here. And now I’m here. So I mean, it’s just a great opportunity, just coming here to be able to work and I mean, I can’t take for granted every day because I’m finally living my dream and finally a Duck. I’m just loving it so far.”
2023 Butkus Award preseason watch list
Jaishawn Barham, Maryland
Michael Barrett, Michigan
JD Bertrand, Notre Dame
Tatum Bethune, Florida State
Ben Bywater, BYU
Abdul Carter, Penn State
Barrett Carter, Clemson
Aaron Casey, Indiana
Steele Chambers, Ohio State
Mason Cobb, USC
Khari Coleman, Ole Miss
Junior Colson, Michigan
Edgerrin Cooper, Texas A&M
Shaun Dolac, Buffalo
Jamon Dumas-Johnson, Georgia
Tommy Eichenberg, Ohio State
JaQues Evans, WKU
Justin Flowe, Arizona
Jaylan Ford, Texas
Dallas Gant, Toledo
Easton Gibbs, Wyoming
Cedric Gray, North Carolina
Cal Haladay, Michigan State
Jason Henderson, Old Dominion
Ty’Ron Hopper, Missouri
Nick Jackson, Iowa
Curtis Jacobs, Penn State
Jestin Jacobs, Oregon
Jason Johnson, UCF
Tyrice Knight, UTEP
Deontae Lawson, Alabama
Marist Liufau, Notre Dame
Jordan Magee, Temple
Jackson Mitchell, UConn
Smael Mondon Jr., Georgia
Darius Muasau, UCLA
Maema Njongmeta, Wisconsin
Chris Paul Jr., Arkansas
Harold Perkins Jr., LSU
John Pius, William & Mary
Tyreem Powell, Rutgers
Karene Reid, Utah
DJ Schramm, Boise State
Jackson Sirmon, Cal
Omar Speights, LSU
Danny Stutsman, Oklahoma
Jeremiah Trotter Jr., Clemson
Trevin Wallace, Kentucky
Nathaniel Watson, Mississippi State
Marlowe Wax, Syracuse
Payton Wilson, N.C. State
