October 28, 2026 | Football
Sophomore linebacker has helped set the tone for Badgers' dominant defense
MADISON, Wis. – Wisconsin sophomore linebacker Mason Posa was named a Bukus Award semifinalist on Wednesday. Posa has been a playmaker for Wisconsin's firey defense this season and has helped the Badgers allow only 11.8 points per game in conference play this fall, the lowest clip in the nation.
Posa, who earned Freshman All-American honors last fall, has made 52 tackles, including 4.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks, and logged one interception through Wisconsin's first seven games. He owns a 3.0% missed tackle rate, per PFF – That's the 2nd-lowest mark by a Big Ten linebacker this season.
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Established in 1985, the Butkus Award has become one of football's most respected individual honors, recognizing the nation's premier linebackers. Named for Pro Football Hall of Famer Dick Butkus, whose extraordinary career helped define the position, the award has honored generations of outstanding players and remains a coveted distinction at the high school, collegiate and professional levels.
The 2026 semifinalists were selected through a national evaluation process involving coaches, scouts and football journalists. The selection committee will narrow the field to finalists before determining this year's recipients.
2026 Collegiate Butkus Award® Semifinalists
Maverick Baranowski, Minnesota
Rasheem Biles, Texas
Drayk Bowen, Notre Dame
Sammy Brown, Clemson
Cam Buffington, Iowa
Arion Carter, Tennessee
Chris Cole, Georgia
Owen Heineke, Oklahoma
Derek McDonald, North Carolina
Sammy Omosigho, UCLA
Mason Posa, Wisconsin
Ben Roberts, Texas Tech
Nicholas Rodriguez, Missouri
Tony Rojas, Penn State
Cade Uluave, BYU
Finalists for the collegiate and high school awards will be announced on November 20th, with the 2026 Butkus Award winners named the week of December 7th.
Each recipient will receive the traditional Butkus Award trophy recognizing his achievement as one of the nation's premier linebackers.
About the Butkus Award®
Founded in 1985, the Butkus Award® honors the nation's outstanding linebackers at the high school, collegiate and professional levels. Named for Pro Football Hall of Famer Dick Butkus, the award recognizes excellence at a position he helped define. A national panel of football experts guides the selection process. The high school and professional awards were added in 2008, extending the recognition to outstanding linebackers at every level of the game.
