Football | August 13, 2024

GO ANGELES—USC Linebacker Easton Mascarenas-Arnold was named to the 2024 Butkus Award Watch List today (August 13). The Butkus Award is given annually to the country’s best college linebacker.

Mascarenas-Arnold, a veteran linebacker who transferred from Oregon State to USC in the spring of 2024, appears destined to be an impact player in his senior year.

In his three-year career at Oregon State (2021-23), he recorded 410 carries for 1,883 yards (4.6 avg.) with a long of 52 yards and 22 TDs. He appeared in 27 games (with 12 starts).

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.

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.