UGA Football Linebacker Jalon Walker Wins 2024 Butkus Award
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ATHENS - “Linebacker University” earns another Butkus Award.
First came Roquan Smith (2017), then Nakobe Dean (2021), and now Georgia Bulldog linebacker Jalon Walker wins the annual Butkus Award, given to the nation’s top linebacker.
Walker had a true breakout season this fall, making 58 tackles and 6.5 sacks with two fumble recoveries. Known as one of the top pass-rushers not only in the SEC, but across college football, Walker has consistently made big plays throughout the 2024 season and will hope to lead the Bulldogs to their third national championship in four years.
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The 6-foot-2 245-pounder out of Salisbury, North Carolina was a four-star prospect out of high school who signed with the Bulldogs in the 2022 class. He saw the field plenty during his first two season, but this fall, Walker made sure the rest of college football knew he was the best linebacker in the country.
Now, he has the hardware to prove it.
The Butkus Award Selection Committee said, “Jalon Walker’s versatility distinguished his contribution to Georgia’s defense. He lined up all over the field and was impactful making plays at critical times on big stages. His all-around performance and hybrid skill set rose to the top of a very strong, deserving group of linebackers that was as equally distributed in vote totals as any race the past two decades.”
Walker received 33% of first-place votes and led the field with 26% of the overall vote, followed by Danny Stutsman of Oklahoma (19%), Barrett Carter of Clemson (17%), Carson Schwesinger of UCLA (16%) and Chris Paul Jr. of Mississippi (14%). Additionally, Jay Higgins of Iowa, Nick Martin of Oklahoma State, Jackson Woodard of UNLV and Shaun Dolac of Buffalo each received write-in votes.
The Butkus Award selection committee focuses on qualities that defined Dick Butkus’ career: toughness, on-field leadership, competitiveness, football character and linebacking skills.
A Butkus Award celebration featuring the 2024 winners is planned Saturday, February 1, 2025,
at Memorial Stadium at the University of Illinois, where the Award’s namesake the late Dick Butkus established his legendary career. The celebration will be featured in the Butkus Award special airing on the Big Ten Network in February 2025. More information will be at available www.butkusfoundation.org.
Last season’s collegiate winner was Payton Wilson of North Carolina State (now Pittsburgh
Steelers), the high school winner was Sammy Brown of Jefferson, Ga. (now Clemson) and the pro winner was Roquan Smith of the Baltimore Ravens, who also won the pro award in 2022 and the collegiate award in 2017.
The 2024 high school Butkus Award was presented to Christian Jones of Omaha Westside earlier this week. The 2024 pro Butkus Award will be presented in January.
About the Butkus Award: Founded in 1985, the Butkus Award honors linebackers at three
levels while supporting causes important to the Butkus family. Causes include Butkus Takes Heart™ initiative encouraging early cardiovascular screening among adults, and the I Play Clean® initiative encouraging athletes to train naturally without performance-enhancing drugs.
The Butkus Foundation has presented the high school and professional awards since 2008. The collegiate award is now in its 40th season.
Walker and the Bulldogs will take on the winner of the Notre Dame/Indiana game in the Sugar Bowl on January 1st in New Orleans, Louisiana.