Miller Repeats on the Butkus Award Watch List

The linebacker was named to the watch list for the second straight season.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Gators linebacker Ventrell Miller was named to Butkus Award Watch List, the Butkus Foundation announced Monday.
Miller is a repeater on the list after he led Florida in tackles in back-to-back seasons with 88 in 2020. He was named SEC Defensive Player of the Week after he posted 15 tackles, two tackles-for-loss and a sack vs. Ole Miss. The redshirt senior was also named to the 2021 Preseason All-SEC Second Team.
Formed in 1985, the Butkus Award honors linebackers at three levels while supporting causes important to the Butkus family such as the Causes include Butkus Takes Heart(tm) initiative encouraging early cardiovascular screening among adults, and the I Play Clean(r) initiative encouraging athletes to train naturally without performance-enhancing drugs
The Butkus Award(r) is presented by the Butkus Foundation and selected by a 51-member expert panel of coaches, scouts and journalists. The award is part of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA) which encompasses college football’s most prestigious awards.
Semi-finalists are expected to be named Nov. 1, finalists Nov. 22, and winners on or before Dec. 7.
2021 Butkus Award Watch List
Christopher Allen                             Alabama
Will Anderson                                   Alabama
Christian Harris                                  Alabama*
Merlin Robertson                            Arizona State
Grant Morgan                                    Arkansas*
Bumper Pool                                       Arkansas
Zakoby McClain                                                Auburn
Terrel Bernard                                   Baylor
James Patterson                               Buffalo
Payton  Wilgar                                   BYU
James Skalski                                     Clemson
Baylon  Spector                                Clemson
Nate Landman                                   Colorado*
Ventrell Miller                                  Florida
Amari Gainer                                     Florida State
Adam Anderson                                Georgia
Nakobe Dean                                     Georgia*
Quay Walker                                      Georgia
Jake Hansen                                       Illinois
Micah McFadden                             Indiana
Mike Rose                                           Iowa State
Damone Clark                                    LSU
Lakia Henry                                        Mississippi
Sam Williams                                      Mississippi
Blaze Alldredge                                 Missouri
Jeremiah Gemmel                           North Carolina
Payton  Wilson                                  North Carolina State
Jackson Hankey                                 North Dakota State
Chris Bergin                                        Northwestern
Brian Asamoah                                 Oklahoma
Nik Bonnito                                        Oklahoma
Malcolm Rodriguez                         Oklahoma State
Noah Sewell                                       Oregon
Avery Roberts                                   Oregon State
Jesse Luketa                                       Penn State
Brandon Smith                                  Penn State
Olakunle Fatukasi                             Rutgers*
Jordan  Strachan                              South Carolina
Mikel Jones                                        Syracuse
Demarvion Overshown                 Texas
Aaron Hansford                                Texas A&M
Colin Schooler                                   Texas Tech
Carlton Martial                                  Troy
Drake Jackson                                    USC
Devin Lloyd                                         Utah**
Anfernee Orji                                    Vanderbilt
Nick Jackson                                       Virginia
Zion Tupuola-Fetui                          Washington
Edefuan Ulofoshio                           Washington
Jack Sanborn                                      Wisconsin
Chad Muma                                       Wyoming
*Returning semi-finalist, ** returning finalist

2021 Gators Watch Lists

Kaiir Elam – Chuck Bednarik Award

Kaiir Elam – Jim Thorpe Award

Ventrell Miller – Butkus Award