The Butkus Foundation announced on Monday that Gators redshirt senior linebacker Ventrell Miller is one of 51 players on the watchlist for the Butkus Award.
The Butkus Award honors the top linebacker in the country. A 51-member panel of coaches, scouts and journalists will select semifinalists on Nov. 1, finalists on Nov. 22 and the winner on or before Dec. 7.
Miller was also named to the Butkus Award watch list prior to the 2020 season, and he was named to the 2021 media’s Preseason All-SEC Second Team last week.
He started 10 games at middle linebacker in 2020 and led the team with 88 tackles. He also contributed 3.5 sacks and 7.5 tackles-for-loss. He was named the SEC Defensive Player of the Week after racking up 15 tackles, two tackles-for-loss and a sack in the opener at Ole Miss.
He ranked second on the team with 55 tackles in 2019, and he returned an interception 82 yards for a touchdown against Idaho in 2018, the ninth-longest interception return in program history.
Here is the complete Butkus Award Watch List:
Christopher Allen, Alabama
Will Anderson, Alabama
Christian Harris, Alabama*
Merlin Robertson, Arizona State
Grant Morgan, Arkansas*
Bumper Pool, Arkansas
Zakoby McClain, Auburn
Terrel Bernard, Baylor
James Patterson, Buffalo
Payton Wilgar, BYU
James Skalski, Clemson
Baylon Spector, Clemson
Nate Landman, Colorado*
Ventrell Miller, Florida
Amari Gainer, Florida State
Adam Anderson, Georgia
Nakobe Dean, Georgia*
Quay Walker, Georgia
Jake Hansen, Illinois
Micah McFadden, Indiana
Mike Rose, Iowa State
Damone Clark, LSU
Lakia Henry, Mississippi
Sam Williams, Mississippi
Blaze Alldredge, Missouri
Jeremiah Gemmel, North Carolina
Payton Wilson, North Carolina State
Jackson Hankey, North Dakota State
Chris Bergin, Northwestern
Brian Asamoah, Oklahoma
Nik Bonnito, Oklahoma
Malcolm Rodriguez, Oklahoma State
Noah Sewell, Oregon
Avery Roberts, Oregon State
Jesse Luketa, Penn State
Brandon Smith, Penn State
Olakunle Fatukasi, Rutgers*
Jordan Strachan, South Carolina
Mikel Jones, Syracuse
Demarvion Overshown, Texas
Aaron Hansford, Texas A&M
Colin Schooler, Texas Tech
Carlton Martial, Troy
Drake Jackson, USC
Devin Lloyd, Utah**
Anfernee Orji, Vanderbilt
Nick Jackson, Virginia
Zion Tupuola-Fetui, Washington
Edefuan Ulofoshio, Washington
Jack Sanborn, Wisconsin
Chad Muma, Wyoming
*Returning semi-finalist, ** returning finalist