Fresno State Athletics
Photo by: Kiel Maddox
Jeff Camilli tabbed to preseason Butkus Award watch list
7/12/2016 9:56:00 AM | Football
FRESNO, Calif. – Fresno State senior inside linebacker Jeff Camilli was named Tuesday to the 2016 preseason watch list for the Butkus Award® honoring the nation's best linebackers.
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Camilli, a native of Shingle Springs, Calif., is Fresno State's leading returning tackler. He finished the 2015 season with 76 tackles, starting all 11 games he played in and missing one due to injury. The 2012 Ponderosa High graduate ranked second on the team in tackles a season ago and he posted four games with 10 or more tackles on the season, tying for the team lead in that category.
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He enters his senior season with 32 games played under his belt and the 11 starts he earned last year. Camilli has posted 122 tackles in his career, 7.0 tackles for a loss, one sack and has two interceptions, both of which came last season when he tied for the MW lead among all linebackers in passes picked off.
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Camilli is one of four linebackers from the Mountain West on the preseason watch list and is joined on there by Kevin Davis of Colorado State, Calvin Munson of San Diego State and Tanner Vallejo of Boise State.
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Mirroring the legendary "51" pro jersey of the award's namesake Dick Butkus whom NFL Films considers the best defensive player in football history, each watch list features 51 players who will be reviewed by a 51-person selection panel of deeply experienced coaches, talent evaluators and journalists who vote by private ballot. Appearance on the watch list is not required to become a semi-finalist.
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The Collegiate Butkus Award watch list includes candidates from 44 universities. It includes one returning finalist, Raekwon McMillan of Ohio State, who won the 2013 national high school Butkus Award.
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Semi-finalists will be named October 31, finalists November 21, and winners will be notified on or before December 6. The Pro Butkus Award winner will be announced in early 2017.
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Follow us on:
Twitter: @FresnoStateFB
Instagram: Fresno_State_Football
Facebook: FresnoStateAthletics
Snap Chat: FSAthletics
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Camilli, a native of Shingle Springs, Calif., is Fresno State's leading returning tackler. He finished the 2015 season with 76 tackles, starting all 11 games he played in and missing one due to injury. The 2012 Ponderosa High graduate ranked second on the team in tackles a season ago and he posted four games with 10 or more tackles on the season, tying for the team lead in that category.
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He enters his senior season with 32 games played under his belt and the 11 starts he earned last year. Camilli has posted 122 tackles in his career, 7.0 tackles for a loss, one sack and has two interceptions, both of which came last season when he tied for the MW lead among all linebackers in passes picked off.
Â
Camilli is one of four linebackers from the Mountain West on the preseason watch list and is joined on there by Kevin Davis of Colorado State, Calvin Munson of San Diego State and Tanner Vallejo of Boise State.
Â
Mirroring the legendary "51" pro jersey of the award's namesake Dick Butkus whom NFL Films considers the best defensive player in football history, each watch list features 51 players who will be reviewed by a 51-person selection panel of deeply experienced coaches, talent evaluators and journalists who vote by private ballot. Appearance on the watch list is not required to become a semi-finalist.
Â
The Collegiate Butkus Award watch list includes candidates from 44 universities. It includes one returning finalist, Raekwon McMillan of Ohio State, who won the 2013 national high school Butkus Award.
Â
Semi-finalists will be named October 31, finalists November 21, and winners will be notified on or before December 6. The Pro Butkus Award winner will be announced in early 2017.
Â
Follow us on:
Twitter: @FresnoStateFB
Instagram: Fresno_State_Football
Facebook: FresnoStateAthletics
Snap Chat: FSAthletics
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