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Wisconsin Badgers junior linebacker named to Butkus Award watch list

The watch list honor from the Butkus Award is a strong recognition of the talent and potential of a Wisconsin Badgers linebacker whose best football is still in front of him.
Lorin Cox|
Sep 7, 2024; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers linebacker Christian Alliegro (28) celebrates with linebacker Darryl Peterson (17) during the fourth quarter against the South Dakota Coyotes at Camp Randall Stadium.
Sep 7, 2024; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers linebacker Christian Alliegro (28) celebrates with linebacker Darryl Peterson (17) during the fourth quarter against the South Dakota Coyotes at Camp Randall Stadium. | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

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Wisconsin Badgers

Christian Alliegro has quickly stepped into the spotlight as he enters his junior season.

After starting just the final three games of the 2024 season, he is now taking over a leadership role in the middle of the Wisconsin Badgers' defense, and expectations for him continue to rise.

On Wednesday, he was named to the watch list for the Butkus Award, given each year to the nation's top linebacker.

Named after the legendary Illinois linebacker Dick Butkus, the award has a decorated history of winners who went on to great success in the pros.

No Wisconsin linebacker has ever won the award, despite the school producing a steady crop of quality players at the position in recent years, including T.J. Edwards, Nick Herbig, Leo Chenal, Ryan Connelly and Chris Borland.

The most recent Big Ten player to win the award was Iowa's Jack Campbell in 2022.

With only three starts and one season of on-field experience, Alliegro will be a massive long shot to win the award.

But it's still a strong recognition of his talent and potential to be named to the watch list as a junior, with his best football still in front of him.

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Lorin Cox
LORIN COX

Lorin Cox is the managing editor of Wisconsin Badgers on SI. He has been covering Badgers sports since 2014, when he was an undergraduate at the University of Wisconsin. He previously wrote for the Wisconsin State Journal, NBC Sports Chicago and USA Today Sports Media Group, and he is a former analyst for Pro Football Focus.

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