football
CHICAGO, IL — University of Maryland linebacker Ruben Hyppolite II was named to the preseason watch list for the 2024 Butkus Award, announced today, August 13. The award is given annually to the best linebacker in college football.
Hyppolite II, who is the 2023 team captain, is entering his fifth season at Maryland. The 2023 third-team All-Big Ten selection ranked second on the team last season with 66 tackles (47 solo), along with 2.5 tackles for loss, a sack and a pass defense. In his career, Hyppolite II has totaled 170 tackles (105 solo).
Hyppolite II appeared in 39 games during his career, 34 of them from the start.
The Fort Lauderdale, FL native is on the Butkus Award nomination list for the first time in his career.
The award’s semifinalists are expected to be announced on November 4, the finalists on November 25 and the winner by December 10. A spot on the watch list is not a requirement to win the award. The 2024 Butkus Award winners at the high school, college and professional levels will be honored at an event scheduled for early 2025 at the University of Illinois’ Memorial Stadium as part of the Big Ten Network’s television special.
The 51-member Butkus Award selection committee, comprised of coaches, scouts and journalists, guides the selection process, emphasizing the qualities that defined Dick Butkus’ career: toughness, leadership on the field, competitiveness, football character and linebacker skills. The award is increasingly focused on recognizing linebackers who consistently play without the ball while standing in a traditional two-point stance.
The 51 linebackers on the watch list are a nod to the famous “51” professional jersey won by the award’s namesake, the late Dick Butkus, whose dogged leadership from the middle linebacker position earned him acclaim from NFL Films as the greatest defensive player in football history.
