Iowa Hawkeyes linebacker Nick Jackson named to Butkus Award Watch List

A year after Jack Campbell took home the award, Iowa Hawkeyes linebacker Nick Jackson has been named to the Butkus Award Watch List.

The Iowa Hawkeyes are turning into a destination spot for linebackers lately. The production and development they are seeing is second to none in the last few years. Last year, Jack Campbell dominated all linebackers across America alongside his highly talented partner, Seth Campbell.

Campbell was the 2022 Butkus Award Winner which is given out to college football’s best linebacker each year. As the 2023 college football season is about to begin, Iowa’s newest linebacker, and transfer from Virginia, Nick Jackson has been named to the 2023 Butkus Award Watch List.

Jackson arrives in Iowa City with a ton of experience from his time in the ACC. As a member of the Virginia Cavaliers, he totaled 354 tackles, 20 tackles for loss, and 10.5 sacks. He has had 100 or more tackles each of the last three years, which included 117 in 2021 when he lead the entire ACC in tackles.

He has two Second Team All-ACCs bid to his name as well from the 2021 and 2022 seasons. Nick Jackson will look to build on that and there is belief he can as he was recently named to Pro Football Focus’ preseason All-Big Ten Third Team.

Jackson will be part of a linebacker crew that is going to feature new faces after the departure of Campbell and Benson last year. He will share the field with Jay Higgins who has plenty of experience in Iowa’s program. Regardless, being a linebacker in Phil Parker’s scheme pays dividends and Nick Jackson is set up in a prime position to reap the rewards.

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