Georgia's Roquan Smith wins Butkus Award

Georgia linebacker Roquan Smith, shown sacking Auburn's Jarrett Stidham during Saturday's SEC title game, was named Sunday as the winner of the Butkus Award.
Georgia linebacker Roquan Smith, shown sacking Auburn's Jarrett Stidham during Saturday's SEC title game, was named Sunday as the winner of the Butkus Award.

A day after running away with MVP honors in the Southeastern Conference championship game, Georgia inside linebacker Roquan Smith was named Sunday as the winner of the Butkus Award, which is given annually to college football's top linebacker.

That vote wasn't close, either.

The 6-foot-1, 225-pound junior from Montezuma, Ga., received 60 percent of the first-place votes and 40 percent of the overall vote in a five-man field of finalists that included Michigan's Devin Bush, Virginia Tech's Tremaine Edmunds, Wisconsin's T.J. Edwards and Clemson's Dorian O'Daniel.

"Roquan Smith proved to be the overwhelming favorite in this year's collegiate linebacking class," the award's selection committee said in a release. "He's always around the ball and is very tough, fast and instinctive with exceptional football reflexes. He makes his presence felt all over the field and hits with the type of explosion that has come to define the Butkus Award.

"As terrific of a football player as he is, Roquan is highly regarded by teammates, coaches and support staff for his intelligence, intensity and leadership traits."

Smith is Georgia's first Butkus winner in the 33-year history of the award, though the Bulldogs have produced multiple finalists in recent seasons - Leonard Floyd in 2015, Jarvis Jones in 2011 and '12, and Justin Houston in 2010.

Leading a defense that ranks fourth nationally in fewest yards allowed (270.9) and third in fewest points surrendered (13.8), Smith has racked up 113 tackles through 13 games for the Bulldogs (12-1). He also has 10.5 tackles for loss, including 5.5 sacks.

In the 28-7 dumping of Auburn on Saturday at Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Smith tallied 13 tackles, two tackles for loss, two fumble recoveries and a sack.

"He deserves this more than anyone I know," Georgia senior outside linebacker Lorenzo Carter said Saturday night. "He puts in the work and is a great leader, and I am so proud of the way he's grown."

Said Smith: "This just all seems so surreal."

Smith is also a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and the Chuck Bednarik Award.

Captains announced

Smith was named Sunday night as a permanent captain for the 2017 Bulldogs, joining the senior tailback tandem of Nick Chubb and Sony Michel and senior left tackle Isaiah Wynn.

Chubb and Michel shared offensive MVP honors for the team, while Smith was the defensive MVP and Mecole Hardman the MVP on special teams.

Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.

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