CHICAGO – Senior Sammy Omosigho of the UCLA football team was named to the 42nd annual Butkus Award Watch List on Thursday. The award is presented annually to the nation’s top collegiate linebacker.
Omosigho was one of 51 student-athletes, including 12 from the Big Ten, selected to this year’s watch list. The 51-player list honors Dick Butkus’ iconic No. 51 jersey and recognizes the toughness, instincts, leadership, competitiveness and football character that defined one of the greatest defensive players in football history.
Omosigho arrives in Westwood after spending three seasons at Oklahoma, where he appeared in 36 games. The versatile linebacker from Crandall, Texas, totaled 96 tackles (50-46), 10.0 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks and one forced fumble during his time with the Sooners. In 2025, Omosigho ranked fifth on the team with 50 tackles (28-22) while adding 4.5 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, three pass breakups and one fumble recovery.
Semifinalists for the 2026 Butkus Award will be announced Oct. 28, followed by the finalists Nov. 20. The winner will be announced during the week of Dec. 7 and recognized at the Butkus Award celebration in early 2027. The recipient also will be featured in the annual Big Ten Network Butkus Award special.
The 51-member Butkus Award Selection Committee is composed of coaches, professional scouts, former players and members of the media from across the country. Committee members evaluate candidates based on the qualities that defined Butkus throughout his career, including instincts, toughness, leadership, competitiveness, football character and consistent excellence at the linebacker position.
Founded in 1985, the Butkus Award honors the nation’s top linebackers at the high school, collegiate and professional levels while preserving Butkus’ legacy through excellence in football, cardiovascular health advocacy and youth character development. Through the Butkus Foundation’s Takes Heart initiative and its partnership with Carle Illinois College of Medicine, the foundation supports education, research and expanded access to preventive cardiovascular screening.
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