Although they are competing for the same starting job, C.J. Hicks and Sonny Styles were both named to the Butkus Award watch list on Tuesday.
Styles and Hicks, who are battling to be Ohio State’s starting Will linebacker this season, are among 51 linebackers on the preseason watch list for the Butkus Award, which honors college football’s best linebacker.
Ohio State is one of seven schools with two linebackers on the watch list along with Alabama (Jihaad Campbell and Deontae Lawson), Iowa (Jay Higgins and Nick Jackson), Kentucky (Jamon Dumas-Johnson and D’Eryk Jackson), Oklahoma State (Nick Martin and Collin Oliver), South Carolina (Demetrius Knight Jr. and Debo Williams) and Utah (Lander Barton and Karene Reid).
While neither Hicks nor Styles has started a game at linebacker for Ohio State, their selection as preseason Butkus Award nominees reflects the immense potential both have. Five-star prospects in the 2022 recruiting class, each of them enters the 2024 season with their eye on becoming a difference-maker at the second level of OSU’s defense.
Styles, who started 12 games for the Buckeyes at safety last season, looks to be the frontrunner to start at Will after taking most of the first-team reps there during preseason camp practices that were open to the media. Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles described Hicks and Styles as “neck-and-neck” at the start of camp, however, and said he plans to have roles for both of them this season regardless of who starts.
The winner of that competition will start alongside Mike linebacker Cody Simon, who Ohio State linebackers coach James Laurinaitis described last week as “the unquestioned leader” of his unit.
Hicks and Styles become the 13th and 14th Ohio State players to land on a watch list for a national award this preseason, joining quarterback Will Howard, running backs TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins, wide receiver Emeka Egbuka, offensive linemen Josh Fryar, Donovan Jackson and Seth McLaughlin, defensive ends Jack Sawyer and JT Tuimoloau, defensive tackle Tyleik Williams, cornerback Denzel Burke and safety Caleb Downs.
The Butkus Award watch list is the final watch list scheduled to be released by the National College Football Awards Association this preseason.
The full list of Buckeyes on preseason watch lists can be found below.
Buckeyes on Preseason Awards Watch Lists
Maxwell Award
- Emeka Egbuka, wide receiver
- Quinshon Judkins, running back
- Will Howard, quarterback
Bronko Nagurski Trophy
- Caleb Downs, safety
- Tyleik Williams, defensive tackle
- JT Tuimoloau, defensive end
- Denzel Burke, cornerback
Outland Trophy
- Josh Fryar, offensive tackle
- Donovan Jackson, offensive lineman
- Tyleik Williams, defensive tackle
Jim Thorpe Award
- Denzel Burke, cornerback
- Caleb Downs, safety
Lott IMPACT Trophy
- Denzel Burke, cornerback
- Caleb Downs, safety
- JT Tuimoloau, defensive end
Dodd Trophy
- Ryan Day, head coach
Paul Hornung Award
- Emeka Egbuka, wide receiver
Wuerffel Trophy
- Seth McLaughlin, offensive line
Walter Camp Player of The Year
- Emeka Egbuka, wide receiver
- Quinshon Judkins, running back
- Will Howard, quarterback
Doak Walker Award
- TreVeyon Henderson, running back
- Quinshon Judkins, running back
Biletnikoff Award
- Emeka Egbuka, wide receiver
Davey O'Brien Award
- Will Howard, quarterback
Rimington Trophy
- Seth McLaughlin, offensive line
Bednarik Award
- Denzel Burke, cornerback
- Caleb Downs, safety
- Jack Sawyer, defensive end
Butkus Award
- C.J. Hicks, linebacker
- Sonny Styles, linebacker
