CHICAGO, Ill. – For the second time in four days, University of Memphis' Genard Avery has been named to a 2017 preseason watch list. The Tigers senior linebacker was one of 51 players from across the nation to be selected to the Butkus Award watch list, the Butkus Foundation announced Monday.
The Butkus Award, first awarded in 1985, annually honors college football's top linebacker. Avery is one of three players from the American Athletic Conference on the prestigious preseason watch list, joining UCF's Shaquem Griffin and Navy's D.J. Palmore.
Last Thursday (July 13), Avery's name appeared on the Bronko Nagurski Trophy watch list.