Arizona State Star LB Named to Preseason Watch List

Keyshaun Elliott is entering his final season in Tempe.

Keyshaun Elliott (44) runs through drills at Sun Devils spring football practice at ASU's Kajikawa practice fields on March 27, 2025, in Tempe, Ariz. | Megan Mendoza/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Arizona State football is in a position that can be seen as both a blessing and a curse heading into the 2025 campaign.

One one side of the equation, the Sun Devils are now seen by many as the favorites to return to the College Football Playoff due to what was previously seen and the talent that is at-hand on paper.

On the other side, the Sun Devils are now the hunted. Opponents will throw everything they have at Arizona State week in and week out. Skeptics still remain in various pockets of the college football world.

At the end of the day, the talent that Arizona State - and in this case DC Brian Ward - rosters is consistently seen as high-level.

That was evidenced when star LB Keyshaun Elliott was named as a member of the Butkus Award watch list with just over four weeks until opening kickoff.

A background on the award:

"Instituted in 1985, The Butkus Award® is one of the elite individual honors, originally given each year to one player in college football: the most impactful linebacker in the game. In 2008, The Butkus Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, took stewardship of the award to fully realize the original purpose of honoring athletic achievement and service to the community."

"Since that time, the award has honored the nation’s best high school, college, and professional linebackers. An independent Butkus Award Selection Committee conducts the selection process each year. The committee is comprised of 51 experts, including professional, college, and high school scouts, and prominent sports journalists."

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Keyshaun Elliott has been named to the Butkus Award watch list! #ForksUp /// @8Keyshaun pic.twitter.com/85ey2xvd83

— Sun Devil Football (@ASUFootball) July 31, 2025

Elliott joined the Sun Devil program after the 2023 season and was a driving force behind the defense generating key stops - totaling 65 total tackles in the process.

Arizona State defensive back Cole Martin (0) and linebacker Keyshaun Elliott (44) tackle Mississippi State Bulldogs running back Davon Booth (21) at Mountain America Stadium on Sept. 7, 2024, in Tempe. | Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

Now, the former New Mexico State product enters year two under LB coach A.J. Cooper as the leader of an incredibly talented position that also features Jordan Crook and Zyrus Fiaseu - Elliott has true potential to distinguish himself as one of the very best players at the position in the entire nation.

Read more on the case for Leavitt to be an All-American selection at season's end here, and if Dillingham has any built-in recruiting advantages in his role here.

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