The 2024 Butkus Award, which is given to the finest linebacker in the country, went to Georgia football star Jalon Walker. Walker received this distinction, which is more significant than any conference team he could have been named to, even though he was inadvertently only selected to the All-SEC second team.
Walker led Georgia to an 11-2 season and SEC Championship victory over Texas last week, recording 58 touchdowns, 6.5 sacks, and two fumble recoveries. He had an incredible season with the Bulldogs this year.
A huge accomplishment for the program, Walker is now the third Bulldog to receive this honor under the Kirby Smart era. However, Walker’s success feels more unique than that of the past victors, as evidenced by the sincere message that Smart and the rest of the program offer in the video below.
Bulldogs like Jalon Walker are the best.
Smart talks on how terrific Walker is as a player in the video above, but he also talks about how great he is as a Bulldog. Walker is the most ideal teammate anyone could ask for. He perfectly symbolizes the University of Georgia and is an excellent leader both on and off the field.
Additionally, the film explains how Walker discussed receiving this award during his official high school visit to Georgia. He also discussed how Georgia’s prior success at linebacker played a significant role in his decision to attend. Seeing that all of his efforts over the past three years have paid off and that he has achieved his objective of receiving this award from the program he knew could help him get there is very amazing.
The quintessential Bulldog is Walker. On the field, that is evident, but hearing these tales about his personal life just serves to highlight how fortunate Georgia supporters are to have him in Athens.
