Buffs Landman, Taylor Named To Butkus Award Watch List
July 22, 2019 | Football, Neill Woelk
BOULDER — Colorado linebackers Nate Landman and Davion Taylor have been named to the Butkus Award preseason watch list, adding to the group of Colorado players designated as preseason national awards candidates.Â
It is the second watch list designation for Landman, who earlier this month was named to the Bednarik Award list. Other Buffs who have been named so far include OL Tim Lynott (Rimington Award), DE Mustafa Johnson (Bednarik Award), QB Steven Montez (Maxwell Award, Davey O'Brien Award) and WR Laviska Shenault Jr. (Biletnikoff Award, Maxwell Award).
Landman, a 6-foot-3, 230-pound junior inside linebacker from Danville, Calif., started all 12 games last season for CU and led the Buffs in tackles (13) and interceptions (two), while also recording four sacks, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. He recorded seven games with double-digit tackle totals and four games with 13-plus tackles, and earned national defensive player of the week honors once (Nagurski Award) as well as Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week designation once. He was a midseason first-team All-American selection by Pro Football Focus, and a year-end second-team All-Pac-12 pick by the Associated Press and Phil Steele's College Football.
Taylor, a 6-2, 225-pound outside linebacker from Magnolia, Miss., started 10 games last season and is expected to fill the Buffs' "star" position this year, a hybrid linebacker-safety spot in head coach Mel Tucker's 3-4 alignment. Taylor, whose speed and size make him one of the most versatile players on the field, was third on the team in tackles last year with 75. He also recorded 11 third-down stops and 11 quarterback pressures (both second-best on the team) and had two fumble recoveries, one of which he returned for a touchdown against New Hampshire. A relative newcomer to the game — he did not play high school ball — he steadily improved throughout the season, with 37 of his 75 tackles coming in the last four games of the year.
The calendar for the remaining award watch lists as part of the National College Football Awards Association include: Outland Trophy (July 23, interior lineman), Bronko Nagurski Trophy (July 23, top defensive player), Lou Groza Award (July 24, top place kicker), Ray Guy Award (July 24, top punter), Paul Hornung Award (July 25, most versatile player), Wuerffel Trophy (July 25, community service and academic achievement) and the Walter Camp Award (July 26, top player).Â
Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu
