Jaylon Smith named a Butkus Award semifinalist

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The Butkus Award on Monday named Notre Dame junior Jaylon Smith as one of its 10 semifinalists for the honor given annually to the nation's top collegiate linebacker.

Smith joins LSU's Kendall Beckwith, USC's Su'a Cravens, Utah State's Kyler Fackrell, Georgia's Leonard Floyd, LSU's Deion Jones, Stanford's Blake Martinez, Ohio State's Raekwon McMillan, Florida's Antonio Morrison and Alabama's Reggie Ragland on the list. Smith is the only semifinalist to be named as a 2014 finalist for the award, which was given to UCLA's Eric Kendricks.

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Through eight games, Smith leads Notre Dame with 66 tackles and is second on the team with six tackles for a loss (behind Sheldon Day's 10 1/2). Smith, too, has one sack, three pass break-ups, three quarterback hurries, two fumble recoveries and one forced fumble.

Finalists for the Butkus Award will be announced Nov. 23, and the winner will be unveiled in December. The last Notre Dame player to win the Butkus Award was Manti Te'o in 2012. Smith won the high school Butkus Award -- it's given out to the best prep, college and pro linebacker -- in 2012.

 

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