drayk bowen, jaylen sneed make butkus watchlist
Junior linebackers Drayk Bowen and Jaylen Sneed have earned selection to the 2025 Butkus Award Watch List, an award honoring the nation’s top linebacker. The Fighitng linebacker room is filled with talent and the aforementioned are seen as the best of the bunch heading into the season.
Notre Dame has a rich history of elite linebacker production on the college level, but only three Irish players have been to win the coveted postseason award : Manti Te’o (2012), Jaylon Smith (2015) and Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (2020). Ohter great defenders have fallen short in their efforts including Michael Stonebreaker, who finished third in the voting in 1988 and 1990. Courtney Watson was one of three finalists for the award in 2002, and Smith was one of five finalists for the award in 2014.
Bowen is familiar with a version of the Butkus Award, as he won the high school version during his senior season. He is also a member of the Nagurski Trophy watch list, started all 16 games for the Irish in 2024 and totaled 78 tackles (40 solo), ranking third on the team. He led the team in forced fumbles with three on the season. Head coach Marcus Freeman was adamant this spring about Bowen’s development into a vocal leader on defense last season, and how he’s continued to grow in that area in the offseason.
Sneed had an amazing CFP performance highlighted by his pass rush pressure that led to Christian Gray’s late interception against Penn State to put the Fighting Irish in position to kick a game-winning field goal that propelled them to the a nation championship game berth. The rangy defender played in all 16 games for the Irish in 2024, starting six. He ranked sixth in total tackles on defense with 51, and ranked second in third down stops, also posting 6.0 TFL on the season and two forced fumbles.
Sneed was lauded by coaches this spring for his commitment to getting stronger in the weight room and improvements in his game during practices. His talent has always been undeniable, but there’s an excitement about his game going to the next level under new defensive coordinator Chris Ash.
Both linebackers played key roles on a 2024 Irish defense that was one of the most complete defenses in the country, ranking among the FBS’ top teams. At the end of the season, Notre Dame was first in pass efficiency defense (104.4), first in turnovers gained (33), first in defensive touchdowns (6), first in blocked kicks (6), second in fumbles recovered (14), second in blocked punts (3), fourth in passing yards allowed (169.4), fourth in scoring defense (15.5), fifth in passes intercepted (19) and 11th in total defense (307.4).
