2020 Butkus Award: Hamilcar Rashed Jr. Included On Preseason Watch List

Stop me if you’ve read this all before.

Oregon State linebacker Hamilcar Rashed Jr. was named to yet another 2020 preseason watch list, as the star talent was included on the Butkus Award’s list of collegians who hope to claim the prize after the season. The Butkus Award has been handed out each season since 1985, to college football’s top linebacker.

Past notable winners of the award include Brian Bosworth (1985, 1986 - Oklahoma), LaVar Arrington (1999 - Penn State), Paul Posluszny (2005 - Penn State), Patrick Willis (2006 - Ole Miss), James Laurinaitis (2007 - Ohio State), Von Miller (2010 - Texas A&M), Luke Kuechly (2011 - Boston College) and Manti Te-o (2012 - Notre Dame). Last year, the award was given to Clemson’s Isaiah Simmons.

For Rashed Jr., the inclusion in the list is simply another notch in what has been an off-season of hype surrounding the 6’ 4”, 240-pound play-maker. So far this off-season, Rashed Jr. was named a Phil Steele Magazine 2020 Preseason All-American First-Team member and selected as a preseason Walter Camp First-Team All-American.

He’s also been included on the 2020 Lott IMPACT Trophy Award Watch List, the 2020 Chuck Bednarik Award Watch List, was named as a started on our All-Decade Defensive Team, currently ranks as both a top five linebacker prospect for the 2021 NFL Draft and overall is considered a top sixty prospect.