The five finalists for the Butkus Award, recognizing the nation's top linebacker, were announced Monday. The finalists are:
Eric Kendricks, UCLA
Hau’oli Kikaha, Washington
Denzel Perryman, Miami (Fla.)
Jake Ryan, Michigan
Jaylon Smith, Notre Dame
Kendricks leads this list with 124 tackles, and seven tackles for a loss.
The redshirt senior certainly deserves the accolades. In Saturday's crosstown rivalry game against USC, Kendricks pulled off an amazing one-handed interception:
