Clemson Tigers Senior Linebacker Named Finalist for Butkus Award

Clemson Tigers linebacker Barrett Carter has been named a finalist for the Butkus Award

Nov 23, 2024; Clemson, South Carolina, USA; Clemson Tigers linebacker Barrett Carter (0) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against The Citadel Bulldogs during the fourth quarter at Memorial Stadium. / Ken Ruinard-Imagn Images

As the Clemson Tigers head into a big game in Week 14 against the South Carolina Gamecocks, one of their veterans found out he had been nominated as one of the best players at his position. 

Week 14 is going to be a massive showdown for rivalry week, as the Tigers will be facing the Gamecocks with a lot on the line. Since the SMU Mustangs won in Week 13, they have punched their ticket to the ACC Title Game. 

Now, Clemson will be watching closely for what happens between the Miami Hurricanes and the Syracuse Orange, as a loss by the Hurricanes would result in the Tigers getting into the ACC Championship Game.  

While Clemson would certainly like to get into the ACC Title Game, they also still have a chance to get an at-large bid to the College Football Playoff if they can defeat the Gamecocks in a Top-25 matchup. 

Going into the matchup, one of the players to watch for Clemson will be linebacker Barrett Carter. 

The senior linebacker was recently named a finalist for the Butkus Award, which is awarded to the best linebacker in the country. 

This is certainly a huge honor for Carter to be nominated, as the leader of the Tigers defense has had an excellent season. So far in 2024, the linebacker has totaled 63 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, and 7 passes defended. 

Against both the run and the pass, Carter has proven to be a excellent player and is being looked at as a potential first-round draft pick. 

Winning the award as the best linebacker in the country would be a big deal for Carter and the program, as Isaiah Thomas was the last winner of the award in 2019. 

While being named as a finalist is an awesome honor, the senior linebacker will be focused on helping his team get a win on Saturday afternoon.