The Butkus Award, which honors the nation’s top collegiate and high school linebackers, came out with its watch list and all three IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) starting linebackers made it: Makel Jones, Jaleel McRae and Charles Thomas.
Three other schools landed two players on the watch list: Ralen Goforth and Spencer Lytle of St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.); Jahmar Brown and Anthony Solomon of St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale); and Kevin Harris and Owen Pappoe of Grayson (Loganville, Ga.).
The watch list, which included 51 players in honor of the jersey worn by Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker Dick Butkus, included 10 players from Florida, seven from California and six from Ohio.
Award semifinalists will be named Oct. 29, finalists Nov. 19, and winners will be notified on or before Dec. 4.
Last year’s high school winner was Solomon Tuliaupupu of Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.), now a freshman at Southern Cal.