LSU’s Kevin Minter Named Butkus Award Finalist

The nation's five best collegiate linebackers have been singled out by the National College Football Awards Association. On Tuesday, the five finalists for the Butkus Award were named... LSU linebacker Kevin Minter among them.

Minter has had a fantastic season already, leading LSU with 101 tackles in 11 games this season.  He has twice been named the SEC Defensive Player of the Week, once after a 20 tackle performance against Florida.  He earned three national defensive player of the week honors after the Texas A&M game, in which he had 12 tackles, one sac, one interception, two QB hurries, a pass break-up, and LSU held Heisman hopeful Johnny Manziel to just 27 yards rushing with three interceptions.

Minter is a junior from Suwanee, GA. He is joined by four other finalists.

Manti Te-o of Notre Dame, Jarvis Jones of Georgia, Dion Jordan of Oregon, and C.J. Mosley of Alabama.

The 2012 winner of the Butkus Award will be announced the first week of December.