Penn State puts two on Butkus Award and one on Jim Thorpe Award watch lists
College football watch list season is nearly over. Only two days of early recognition for postseason awards remain before play on the field starts to decide who will make the semifinalist and finalists lists later this year. Thursday marks the third to last day of watch list announcements. And, unsurprisingly, some Penn State players made the cut.
Two Nittany Lion linebackers made the Butkus Award watch list. It is given annually to the nation’s best player at that position. Junior Curtis Jacobs and sophomore Abdul Carter were two of the 51 players who made the initial cut. The list will be added to and subtracted from over the months ahead, of course. Jacobs was an All-Big Ten honorable mention pick last fall after spreading 52 stops (7.5 for loss), four sacks, and an interception return for a touchdown across 12 starts. Carter, then, thrived in his first year at Penn State. The Philadelphia native was a FWAA and College Football News Freshman All-American and a second-team All-Big Ten pick by the media and third by the coaches in 2022. Then, he had 56 tackles (10.5 for loss) and 6.5 sacks. He was a finalist for the Maxwell Football Club’s Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award.
Two former Lions have won the Butkus Award. LaVar Arrington did so in 1999. And, Paul Posluszny did in 2005.
Carter and Jacobs were not the only Lions to make an award watch list on Thursday. Cornerback Kalen King is on the Jim Thorpe award watch list. He will be the top cornerback for Penn State in 2023 after breaking up 18 passes and intercepting three en route to receiving a second-team All-American team nod from the Walter Camp Football Foundation and third-team All-American recognition from Pro Football Focus.
Penn State watch list rundown
The trio recognized on Thursday are hardly the only Penn State players who have made a watch list this month. Here’s the full rundown as of Aug. 10:
Top 10
- 1Hot
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- 2New
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- 3Trending
12-Team CFP bracket
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- 4
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- 5
Colbie Young status
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Penn State running backs Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton: Doak Walker Award, given to the nation’s best running back
Lions linebacker Abdul Carter: Butkus Award (best linebacker), Lott IMPACT Trophy (most impactful player), Bronko Nagurski Award (nation’s top defender)
Penn State receiver Dante Cephas: Biletnikoff Award (best receiver)
Lions defensive tackle Dvon Ellies: Allstate AFCA Good Works Team, Wuerffel Trophy (both recognize off-field contributions to society and on-field sportsmanship.
Penn State tackle Olumuyiwa Fashanu: Outland Trophy (best offensive lineman)
Lions linebacker Curtis Jacobs: Butkus Award
Penn State tight end Theo Johnson: Mackey Award (best tight end)
Lions cornerback Kalen King: Jim Thorpe Award, Lott IMPACT Trophy, Bronko Nagurski Award
Penn State defensive end Chop Robinson: Bronko Nagurski Award
Lions running back Nicholas Singleton: Doak Walker Award, Maxwell Award, Paul Hornung Award (top returner)
Penn State punter Riley Thompson: Ray Guy Award (best punter)
