Ole Miss Linebackers TJ Dottery, Andrew Jones Named to Butkus Award Preseason Watch List

CHICAGO –  (Release) Ole Miss football linebackers TJ Dottery and Andrew Jones have both landed on the preseason watch list for the Butkus Award, as announced by the Butkus Foundation on Wednesday.

The Rebel duo are among 51 total linebackers selected to the watch list for the Butkus Award, a nod to its namesake Dick Butkus, who wore the number 51 during his storied professional career with the Chicago Bears that earned him the title of greatest defensive player in football history by NFL Films.

The Butkus Award was founded in 1985 and is given out annually to football’s top linebacker at three different levels of the sport, particularly those who consistently play off the ball on their feet in a traditional two-point stance. All-American former Rebel and 2025 NFL Draft selection Chris Paul Jr. was a finalist for the award in 2024.

TJ Dottery

Dottery returns for his junior season at Ole Miss this fall as a key piece of the Rebel defense. Dottery is the top returning tackler from the 2024 unit at 76 total tackles, helped greatly by four double-digit tackle games in 12 total starts for the Rebels at inside linebacker. Dottery tacked on 4.5 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks – contributing to team records in both sacks (52) and TFL (120), which both led the nation – in addition to four QB hurries, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and one pass breakup. Dottery ended the 2024 season as PFF’s fifth-best linebacker in tackling, owning a season grade of 83.9.

Andrew Jones

Jones was named the 2024 SWAC Co-Defensive Player of the Year for Grambling State in 2024, seeing action at linebacker in all 12 games. Jones ranked first in the conference and sixth nationally with 122 total tackles. His 20.5 tackles for loss ranked second in the SWAC and fourth in the FCS. The Marrero, Louisiana, native registered double-digit tackles in 10 of GSU’s 12 games, including a season-high 15 tackles against Alabama A&M. He was named the SWAC Defensive Player of the Week three times in 2024 and was a Buck Buchanan Award Finalist and an HBCU+ Player of the Year Finalist.

Award Timeline

Award semifinalists will be named Nov. 4, finalists Nov. 25, and the winner revealed by Dec. 10. Appearing on the watch list is not a requirement to win the award. The 2025 winner will be honored at a ceremony at the University of Illinois’ Memorial Stadium in early 2026, featured on a Big Ten Network special.

The 51-member selection committee, comprised of coaches, scouts, and journalists, evaluates candidates based on the qualities that defined Butkus’ career: toughness, leadership, competitiveness, football character, and traditional linebacking skills.

The Butkus Award is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which encompasses college football’s most prestigious awards. The NCFAA’s 25 awards have honored more than 950 recipients since 1935.

Sixteen NCFAA members are unveiling preseason watch lists over a two-week period as the association spearheads a coordinated effort to promote each award’s preseason candidates. Following is the remaining 2025 preseason watch list calendar:

Thu., July 31: Paul Hornung Award/Allstate Wuerffel Trophy

Fri., Aug. 1: Lou Groza Award/Ray Guy Award

Mon., Aug. 4: Walter Camp Award

Tue., Aug. 5: Doak Walker Award

Wed., Aug. 6: Biletnikoff Award

Thu., Aug. 7: Davey O’Brien Award

Fri., Aug. 8: Mackey Award/Rimington Trophy

Mon., Aug. 11: Bednarik Award