The Dick Butkus Award is given out annually to the best linebacker in the nation at both the college and high school levels. This season, Wisconsin Badgers junior linebacker Jack Sanborn was named to the preseason watch list for the award. Sanborn has also been named to the preseason watch lists for the Lott IMPACT Award and the Chuck Bednarik Award.
Sanborn will be one of the leaders of the defense this year and was the team’s leading tackler season, with 80, while racking up 5.5 sacks, three interceptions, one forced fumble, one fumble recovered and three passes defended.