GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Gators linebacker Ventrell Miller was named to Butkus Award Watch List, the Butkus Foundation announced Monday.
Miller is a repeater on the list after he led Florida in tackles in back-to-back seasons with 88 in 2020. He was named SEC Defensive Player of the Week after he posted 15 tackles, two tackles-for-loss and a sack vs. Ole Miss. The redshirt senior was also named to the 2021 Preseason All-SEC Second Team.
Formed in 1985, the Butkus Award honors linebackers at three levels while supporting causes important to the Butkus family such as the 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 Award® is presented by the Butkus Foundation and selected by a 51-member expert panel of coaches, scouts and journalists. The award is part of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA) which encompasses college football’s most prestigious awards.
Semi-finalists are expected to be named Nov. 1, finalists Nov. 22, and winners on or before Dec. 7.
2021 Butkus Award Watch List
Christopher Allen Alabama
Will Anderson Alabama
Christian Harris Alabama*
Merlin Robertson Arizona State
Grant Morgan Arkansas*
Bumper Pool Arkansas
Zakoby McClain Auburn
Terrel Bernard Baylor
James Patterson Buffalo
Payton Wilgar BYU
James Skalski Clemson
Baylon Spector Clemson
Nate Landman Colorado*
Ventrell Miller Florida
Amari Gainer Florida State
Adam Anderson Georgia
Nakobe Dean Georgia*
Quay Walker Georgia
Jake Hansen Illinois
Micah McFadden Indiana
Mike Rose Iowa State
Damone Clark LSU
Lakia Henry Mississippi
Sam Williams Mississippi
Blaze Alldredge Missouri
Jeremiah Gemmel North Carolina
Payton Wilson North Carolina State
Jackson Hankey North Dakota State
Chris Bergin Northwestern
Brian Asamoah Oklahoma
Nik Bonnito Oklahoma
Malcolm Rodriguez Oklahoma State
Noah Sewell Oregon
Avery Roberts Oregon State
Jesse Luketa Penn State
Brandon Smith Penn State
Olakunle Fatukasi Rutgers*
Jordan Strachan South Carolina
Mikel Jones Syracuse
Demarvion Overshown Texas
Aaron Hansford Texas A&M
Colin Schooler Texas Tech
Carlton Martial Troy
Drake Jackson USC
Devin Lloyd Utah**
Anfernee Orji Vanderbilt
Nick Jackson Virginia
Zion Tupuola-Fetui Washington
Edefuan Ulofoshio Washington
Jack Sanborn Wisconsin
Chad Muma Wyoming
*Returning semi-finalist, ** returning finalist
2021 Gators Watch Lists
Kaiir Elam – Chuck Bednarik Award
Kaiir Elam – Jim Thorpe Award
Ventrell Miller – Butkus Award
Miller is a repeater on the list after he led Florida in tackles in back-to-back seasons with 88 in 2020. He was named SEC Defensive Player of the Week after he posted 15 tackles, two tackles-for-loss and a sack vs. Ole Miss. The redshirt senior was also named to the 2021 Preseason All-SEC Second Team.
Formed in 1985, the Butkus Award honors linebackers at three levels while supporting causes important to the Butkus family such as the 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 Award® is presented by the Butkus Foundation and selected by a 51-member expert panel of coaches, scouts and journalists. The award is part of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA) which encompasses college football’s most prestigious awards.
Semi-finalists are expected to be named Nov. 1, finalists Nov. 22, and winners on or before Dec. 7.
2021 Butkus Award Watch List
Christopher Allen Alabama
Will Anderson Alabama
Christian Harris Alabama*
Merlin Robertson Arizona State
Grant Morgan Arkansas*
Bumper Pool Arkansas
Zakoby McClain Auburn
Terrel Bernard Baylor
James Patterson Buffalo
Payton Wilgar BYU
James Skalski Clemson
Baylon Spector Clemson
Nate Landman Colorado*
Ventrell Miller Florida
Amari Gainer Florida State
Adam Anderson Georgia
Nakobe Dean Georgia*
Quay Walker Georgia
Jake Hansen Illinois
Micah McFadden Indiana
Mike Rose Iowa State
Damone Clark LSU
Lakia Henry Mississippi
Sam Williams Mississippi
Blaze Alldredge Missouri
Jeremiah Gemmel North Carolina
Payton Wilson North Carolina State
Jackson Hankey North Dakota State
Chris Bergin Northwestern
Brian Asamoah Oklahoma
Nik Bonnito Oklahoma
Malcolm Rodriguez Oklahoma State
Noah Sewell Oregon
Avery Roberts Oregon State
Jesse Luketa Penn State
Brandon Smith Penn State
Olakunle Fatukasi Rutgers*
Jordan Strachan South Carolina
Mikel Jones Syracuse
Demarvion Overshown Texas
Aaron Hansford Texas A&M
Colin Schooler Texas Tech
Carlton Martial Troy
Drake Jackson USC
Devin Lloyd Utah**
Anfernee Orji Vanderbilt
Nick Jackson Virginia
Zion Tupuola-Fetui Washington
Edefuan Ulofoshio Washington
Jack Sanborn Wisconsin
Chad Muma Wyoming
*Returning semi-finalist, ** returning finalist
2021 Gators Watch Lists
Kaiir Elam – Chuck Bednarik Award
Kaiir Elam – Jim Thorpe Award
Ventrell Miller – Butkus Award
