The Dick Butkus Award is given each year to the best linebacker in college football. Obviously named after College Football Hall of Famer and legend Dick Butkus, the award has been given to college players since 1985, when Oklahoma’s Brian Bosworth received the honor of the award.

So many great linebackers have earned the award throughout college football history: Patrick Willis, Derrick Thomas, Von Miller, and many more. No Virginia Tech linebacker has ever made that historic list, but Sam Brumfield is trying to find a way this year.

Sam Brumfield played last season with the Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders, who finished the season 4-8 and missed a bowl game. Brumfield still had success and was the Blue Raiders’ leading tackler with 81 total tackles that year. He recorded 6.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks. He also forced two fumbles that year, earning him a spot on the All-Conference USA Second Team. He also earned All-Conference USA Academic Team honors last year when he earned a 4.0 grade point average that year.

Brumfield makes the jump to the Power Four league after facing only two teams of that caliber in 2023. For Sam, however, it was not an easy battle. He was rated as a 0-star recruit by all recruiting services and had questions about his future football career. However, he persevered and landed at a junior college near his high school.

In his freshman year at Northwest Mississippi Community College, he got playing time right away, starting at middle linebacker. He led the team in tackles, had 7.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks and seven quarterback hurries. All very good numbers, especially at the middle linebacker position.

However, he vowed to stay at the school for another year and burst onto the JUCO scene. Brumfield was much better than he was in his first year at the school and helped Northwest Mississippi to an appearance in the NJCAA Division I Football Championship. He recorded some incredible numbers, such as his 115 tackles, including 13 TFLs, six sacks, five hurries and two forced fumbles.

That historic year led him to the transfer portal where he had multiple offers, with his full list of options including Middle Tennessee State, Western Kentucky, Charlotte, FIU, Georgia State, Indiana, Liberty, McNeese State, Tennessee State and Troy.

Brumfield chose to play for the Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders and the rest is history. He took Conference USA by storm and was looking for a new opportunity.

In Blacksburg, he has not only found an opportunity, but a home, and he will add his name to the list of great linebackers to receive the Dick Butkus Award. An incredible honor, and if he isn’t already, Sam Brumfield should definitely be on everyone’s radar for the 2024 season.