When the Butkus Award announces its watch list for possible winners, it includes both the collegiate players and the high school players.
The high school Butkus Award has been around since 2008, when former Notre Dame Fighting Irish linebacker Manti Te'o won it while playing for Punahou High School in Hawai'i. Another former Notre Dame linebacker Jaylon Smith won the award in 2012 while at Bishop Luers High School in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Notre Dame was also a finalist for last years High School Butkus Award winner, Caleb Kelly.
This years list has a trio of current Notre Dame Fighting Irish commits for the 2017 recruiting class.