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Deshawn Pace, Ivan Pace Jr. Named to Butkus Award Preseason Watchlist

The award is given annually to the nation's best linebacker.

Russ Heltman

© Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK
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CINCINNATI — The preseason watchlists keep pouring in for UC football players, and the team landed two more stars on the latest grouping. The Dick Butkus Award named Deshawn Pace and Ivan Pace Jr. among the 51 names scattered nationally.

Cincinnati is one of seven schools with multiple players named to the list.

Deshawn is fresh off a breakout season, totaling 95 tackles (fourth on the team), and a team-high four interceptions. He is the team's top linebacker heading into 2022 and could make a case for NFL teams to draft him with another leap.

His brother is no slouch either, posting 125 tackles at Miami (OH) last season, which ranked second in the MAC, along with one interception and four sacks. Pace is a highly-touted pass rusher who infuses this defense with talent as big names exit the linebacker's room.

Ty Van Fossen and Wil Huber should get every chance to start as veterans in the room, but Ivan's impact could be too much to keep off the field.

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Russ Heltman
RUSS HELTMAN

Russ Heltman is a contributor for AllBearcats and AllBengals. He is the morning host and producer for 89.3 WMKV in Cincinnati, OH. Russ can be found on Twitter: @RussHeltman11 or you can reach him by email at Heltmandm@yahoo.com.

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