A couple of good ones
On Wednesday, Notre Dame announced that Irish linebackers Drayk Bowen and Jaylen Sneed were named to the Butkus Award Watch List.
An Irish tradition…
From the ND press release:
Bowen, Sneed Selected to Butkus Award Watch List
SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Junior linebackers Drayk Bowen and Jaylen Sneed have earned selection to the 2025 Butkus Award Watch List, an award honoring the nation’s top linebacker.
An Irish player has won the Butkus Trophy on three occasions: Manti Te’o (2012), Jaylon Smith (2015) and Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (2020). Michael Stonebreaker finished third in the voting in 1988 and 1990. Courtney Watson was one of three finalists for the award in 2002, and Smith was one of five finalists for the award in 2014.
Bowen, also a member of the Nagurski Trophy watch list, started all 16 games for the Irish in 2024 and totaled 78 tackles (40 solo), ranking third on the team. He led the team in forced fumbles with three on the season.
He split the team lead in tackles in the National Championship, totaling eight (seven solo). He also forced a fumble, giving the Irish possession in the fourth quarter. Bowen also made an impact in the 27-17 CFP First Round win over Indiana, posting 1.5 TFL and two QB hurries. Two of his stops came on third down. He posted a career-high nine tackles in the 31-13 win at Georgia Tech.
Sneed played in all 16 games for the Irish in 2024, starting six. He ranked sixth in total tackles on defense with 51, and ranked second in third down stops, also posting 6.0 TFL on the season and two forced fumbles.
Sneed notched several key moments throughout the 2024 season, including a notable performance in the Orange Bowl victory over Penn State, in which he posted six tackles and registered a quarterback hurry late in the fourth quarter, leading to an interception by the Irish. He also made a large impact in the win over Navy, posting a career-high nine tackles and recovered a fumble in the end zone for the first touchdown of his career.
Both linebackers played key roles on a 2024 Irish defense that was one of the most complete defenses in the country, ranking among the FBS’ top teams. At the end of the season, Notre Dame was first in pass efficiency defense (104.4), first in turnovers gained (33), first in defensive touchdowns (6), first in blocked kicks (6), second in fumbles recovered (14), second in blocked punts (3), fourth in passing yards allowed (169.4), fourth in scoring defense (15.5), fifth in passes intercepted (19) and 11th in total defense (307.4).