Miami Hurricanes Linebacker Perryman Among 15 Semifinalists for Butkus Award

Hurricanes senior LB Denzel Perryman is one of 15 semifinalists for the 2014 Butkus Award, given annually to the Nation's best linebacker.

The 2014 Preseason All-ACC selection has added four tackles for loss, one sack, one interception and two forced fumbles through eight games. He stands as Miami’s active tackles leader with 303 career stops, and is just 25 tackles shy of cracking the top 10 mark in program history in the category.

Perryman is looking to become just the fifth Hurricane to ever be named a Butkus Award finalist and second to win the award outright; Dan Morgan was selected the winner in 2000.

Finalists for both the collegiate and high school levels will be named November 24 and winners by December 9, by the independent panel of 51 recruiters, scouts, coaches and journalists.

Butkus Award 2014 Collegiate Semi-Finalists

Stephone Anthony Clemson University

Myles Jack University of California Los Angeles

Jordan Jenkins University of Georgia

A.J. Johnson University of Tennessee

Eric Kendricks University of California Los Angeles

Hau'oli Kikaha University of Washington

Benardrick McKinney Mississippi State University

Denzel Perryman University of Miami (Fla.)

Hayes Pullard University of Southern California

Reggie Ragland University of Alabama

Jake Ryan University of Michigan

Jaylon Smith University of Notre Dame

Eric Striker University of Oklahoma

Shaq Thompson University of Washington

Ramik Wilson University of Georgia