Needham, MA – Boston College junior Luke Kuechly has been named the 27th recipient of the annual Dick Butkus Award honoring the nation's top linebacker.
Butkus, a Hall of Famer for the Chicago Bears, was on hand at the team's awards banquet to present Kuechly with the honor.
Kuechly, who was selected by a panel of 51 coaches, scouts, recruiters and journalists, amassed 191 total tackles, including 102 solo stops, and three interceptions for the Eagles this season. He finished runner-up in the 2010 voting.
Kuechly received 58 points and 18 first-place votes. Alabama teammates Dont'a Hightower and Courtney Upshaw finished second and third respectively. Manti Te'o of Notre Dame finished fourth and Levonte David of Nebraska rounded out the top five. Georgia's Jarvis Jones finished sixth.
In 37 career games, Kuechly has recorded 532 tackles -- 299 solo -- and is averaging 14 tackles and 7.9 solo stops per game. He has recorded 10 or more tackles in 33 of 37 games since making his collegiate debut on September 5, 2009 against Northeastern.
Kuechly is Boston College's first-ever Butkus Award winner.
