As the beginning of college football season now stands less than six weeks away, the preseason honors keep rolling in for several LSU Tigers.
The Butkus Award, given annually to college football’s top linebacker, released its watch list on Monday and two current Tigers made the list.
Senior Jabril Cox — the transfer from North Dakota State — and Damone Clark both made the list.
Cox, a two-time All-American at the FCS level, is a 6-foot-4, 231-pounder from Kansas City, Mo. Cox was an integral part of three national championship teams at North Dakota State and will try to replicate that success at LSU.
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He has a total of 258 tackles, 32 tackles for loss, 14 sacks and six interceptions thus far in his college career.
Clark, a 6-foot-3, 245-pound junior from Baton Rouge, has played in 27 games thus far in his LSU career, making three starts. As a freshman in 2018, Clark played in 12 games behind eventual Butkus Award winner Devin White.
In 2019, Clark played in every game, where he made his three starts. He finished No. 6 on the team last fall with 50 tackles.
New defensive coordinator Bo Pelini has high expectations for Cox and Clark, as the Tigers lost their top linebackers from a year ago to the NFL.
White is LSU’s only previous Butkus Award winner.
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