Ohio State junior linebacker Jerome Baker was named one of 15 semifinalists for the Butkus Award on Monday. The award is given annually to the nation’s best linebacker.
Baker has 36 tackles on the season, which is second on the team to strong safety Jordan Fuller (42). He is fifth on the team with 4.5 tackles for loss, and tied for third with 2.0 sacks.
He is also 15th in scoring.
Here is the release from Ohio State.
Jerome Baker Named a Butkus Award Semifinalist
Junior linebacker is second on the team in tackles with 36
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State junior linebacker Jerome Baker, second on the team in tackles and who also has TFLs, quarterback sacks, PBUs, quarterback hurries, forced fumbles and fumble recoveries on his defensive statistical line, has been named one of 13 semifinalists for the Butkus Award.
Baker, from Cleveland and St. Benedictine, is the Buckeyes’ second-leading tackler with 36 stops on the season, a total that includes 3.4 tackles for loss and two quarterback sacks. He had seven tackles in the 39-38 victory over No. 2 Penn State on Saturday.
Butkus Award selection is handled by a panel of 51 coaches, recruiters, scouts and journalists who vote separately and confidentially using a 3-2-1 process. Finalists will be announced Nov. 20 and the 2017 Butkus Award winner will be announced on or before Dec. 5.
No one should be surprised by this nomination, I’ve been telling all of you for the past year he is the BEST linebacker in college football. Again, “I would take him with the first pick in NFL draft”. The best I’ve seen play since Jack Ham played at Penn State. I could not pay him a higher compliment!!!