CHICAGO – Old Dominion Football linebacker Jason Henderson added another notch in his preseason accolades, as he was named to the Butkus Award Watch List on Thursday. The Butkus Award is given to the top linebacker in the country.
The day before camp opened, Henderson was named to the Nagurski Trophy Watch List which is given to the best defensive player in the country. Henderson also added preseason first-team All-Sun Belt Conference and Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year honors, and third-team All-America honors from the Phil Steele preseason magazine.
A native of Dingmans Ferry, Pennsylvania, Henderson led the country last season with 186 tackles, the third most in a single FBS season. He set both ODU and Sun Belt Conference single-season records for tackles. He had 11 double-digit tackle games and was the only player in the country to have multiple 20+ tackle games.
Henderson notched an ODU single-game record with 22 tackles against Georgia Southern.
The number of linebackers on the watch list, 51, is a nod to the storied "51" pro jersey worn by the award's namesake, Dick Butkus, who was named by NFL Films as the greatest defensive player in football history.
Henderson is the only player from the Sun Belt on the list and one of 10 non Power-Five players.
Butkus Award Watch List
Jaishawn Barham, Maryland
Michael Barrett, Michigan
JD Bertrand, Notre Dame
Tatum Bethune, Florida State
Ben Bywater, BYU
Abdul Carter, Penn State
Barrett Carter, Clemson
Aaron Casey, Indiana
Steele Chambers, Ohio State
Mason Cobb, USC
Khari Coleman, Ole Miss
Junior Colson, Michigan
Edgerrin Cooper, Texas A&M
Shaun Dolac, Buffalo
Jamon Dumas-Johnson (F), Georgia
Tommy Eichenberg (SF), Ohio State
JaQues Evans, WKU
Justin Flowe, Arizona
Jaylan Ford, Texas
Dallas Gant, Toledo
Easton Gibbs, Wyoming
Cedric Gray, North Carolina
Cal Haladay, Michigan State
Jason Henderson, Old Dominion
Ty'Ron Hopper, Missouri
Nick Jackson, Iowa
Curtis Jacobs, Penn State
Jestin Jacobs, Oregon
Jason Johnson, UCF
Tyrice Knight, UTEP
Deontae Lawson, Alabama
Marist Liufau, Notre Dame
Jordan Magee, Temple
Jackson Mitchell (SF), UConn
Smael Mondon Jr., Georgia
Darius Muasau, UCLA
Maema Njongmeta, Wisconsin
Chris Paul Jr., Arkansas
Harold Perkins Jr., LSU
John Pius, William & Mary
Tyreem Powell, Rutgers
Karene Reid, Utah
DJ Schramm, Boise State
Jackson Sirmon, Cal
Omar Speights, LSU
Danny Stutsman, Oklahoma
Jeremiah Trotter Jr., Clemson
Trevin Wallace, Kentucky
Nathaniel Watson, Mississippi State
Marlowe Wax, Syracuse
Payton Wilson, N.C. State
Henderson Named to Butkus Award Watch List
Jason Henderson