AUBURN, Ala. – Auburn senior Owen Pappoe was one of 15 college players selected as a semifinalist for the Butkus Award, the Butkus Foundation announced Tuesday. The award is presented annually to the national's most outstanding linebacker.
Pappoe leads the Tigers and is tied for sixth in the SEC with 65 tackles through the first eight games. He has at least seven tackles in six of the eight games and recorded a career-high 16 tackles last month at Ole Miss. The senior captain picked up his first sack of the year last Saturday against Arkansas and has two forced fumbles on the season.
Pappoe is on pace to break his single season total for tackles, a mark he set in 2020 when he finished with 93 tackles in 11 games. Only three Auburn players (Zakoby McClain, Deshaun Davis, Rudy Ford) have gone over 100 tackles in a season since 2012.
The semifinalists come from 15 different schools representing six conferences (ACC, American Athletic, Big 12, Ben Ten, Pac-12 and SEC) and the FBS independents. The winner will be named on or before Dec. 7 after finalists are named Nov. 21 by the award committee.
The 2022 Butkus Award winner will be honored at a televised event on Jan. 21, 2023, at the Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa in Rancho Mirage, California. The event will again feature namesake Dick Butkus and numerous noted NFL Alumni.
2022 Collegiate Butkus Award Semifinalists
Jack Campbell, Iowa
SirVocea Dennis, Pitt
Jamon Dumas-Johnson, Georgia
Tommy Eichenberg, Ohio State
Dayian Henley, Washington State
Mikel Jones, Syracuse
Jackson Mitchell, UConn
DeMarvion Overshown, Texas
Ivan Pace, Cincinnati
Owen Pappoe, Auburn
Drew Sanders, Arkansas
Noah Sewell, Oregon
Trenton Simpson, Clemson
DeAndre Square, Kentucky
Henry To'o To'o, Alabama