Iowa footballs’ top linebacker duo on Butkus Award Watch List

The best linebacker duo in all of America and college football may be residing in Iowa City with the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Already named to the Chuck Bednarik Award watch list and the Nagurski Trophy watch list, big things are in store for Iowa linebackers Jay Higgins and Nick Jackson in 2024.

The two also find themselves named to the preseason Butkus Award watch list.

The Butkus Award, named after one of the greatest linebackers of all-time Dick Butkus, is given out to the best linebacker in college football.

Instituted in 1985, The Butkus Award® is one of the elite individual honors, originally given each year to one player in college football: the most impactful linebacker in the game. – Dick Butkus Award

Dick Butkus, a member of the College Football Hall of Fame and Pro Football Hall of Fame left a legacy on the game. He was a unanimous All-American, two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, five-time First-Team All-Pro, and eight-time Pro Bowl selection who had his number retired by the Chicago Bears and the Illinois Fighting Illini.

Higgins and Jackson are looking to capture the Butkus Award and bring it back to Iowa City like Jack Campbell did in 2022 after his special season that he put together.

Jay Higgins had 171 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, an interception, 2 fumble recoveries, and a forced fumble in 2023. Nick Jackson had 110 tackles, 8 tackles for loss, 4 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles in 2023.

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