BATON ROUGE – For the second straight season LSU linebacker Kendell Beckwith was named to the Butkus Award Watch List released Tuesday.
The award is presented each season to the nation’s best linebacker, and the 2016 watch list features 51 players from around the country.
Beckwith was a semifinalist for the award last season as a junior after he finished second on the team with 84 tackles as the starting Mike linebacker.
He added 10.0 tackles for a loss and 3.5 sacks on the season, and he wrapped up the year with a fantastic performance in the Texas Bowl where Beckwith posted eight tackles with 4.0 tackles for a loss and 2.5 sacks in the win over Texas Tech.
The Clinton, Louisiana native is entering his third season as a starter at inside linebacker for the Tigers.
Butkus Award semifinalists will be named on Oct. 31, while finalists will be announced Nov. 21 and the winner announced on or before Dec. 6.
This marks Beckwith’s third spot on a national award watch list as he was also selected to the watch lists for the Bednarik Award and Bronko Nagurski Trophy.
2016 NCFAA Awards Preseason Watch List Calendar
Tuesday, July 5: Bednarik Award / Maxwell Award
Wednesday, July 6: Mackey Award / Rimington Trophy
Thursday, July 7: Lou Groza Award / Ray Guy Award
Friday, July 8: Bronko Nagurski Trophy / Outland Trophy
Monday, July 11: Jim Thorpe Award
Tuesday, July 12: Butkus Award
Wednesday, July 13: Biletnikoff Award / Wuerffel Trophy
Thursday, July 14: Davey O’Brien Award / Doak Walker Award
Friday, July 15: Walter Camp Award / Paul Hornung Award
2016 Butkus Award Watch List
Ryan Anderson, Alabama
Kendell Beckwith, LSU
Vince Biegel, Wisconsin
Dante Booker, Ohio State
Ben Boulware, Clemson
Tyus Bowser, Houston
Richie Brown, Mississippi State
Riley Bullough, Michigan State
Jason Cabinda, Penn State
Jeff Camilli, Fresno State
Lorenzo Carter, Georgia
Jermaine Carter, Maryland
Zach Cunningham, Vanderbilt
Kevin Davis, Colorado State
Jarrad Davis, Florida
Nick DeLuca, North Dakota State
Brooks Ellis, Arkansas
Jordan Evans, Oklahoma
Devonte’ Fields, Louisville
Salamo Fiso, Arizona State
Reuben Foster, Alabama
T.J. Holloman, South Carolina
Travin Howard, TCU
Shane Huber, Massachusetts
Malik Jefferson, Texas
Josey Jewell, Iowa
Peter Kalambayi, Stanford
Harvey Kangi, BYU
Keith Kelsey, Louisville
Micah Kiser, Virginia
Elijah Lee, Kansas State
Raekwon McMillan, Ohio State
Matt Milano, Boston College
Charmeachealle Moore, Kansas State
Nyles Morgan, Notre Dame
Calvin Munson, San Diego State
Hardy Nickerson, Illinois
Jalen Reeves-Maybin, Tennessee
T.J. Ricks, Old Dominion
Auggie Sanchez, South Florida
Michael Scherer, Missouri
Cameron Smith, USC
Steven Taylor, Houston
Austin Valdez, Bowling Green
Tanner Vallejo, Boise State
Azeem Victor, Washington
Anthony Walker, Northwestern
Nyeem Warman-White, Penn State
Tim Williams, Alabama
Eric Wilson, Cincinnati
Taylor Young, Baylor