We’re deep into “Watchlist SZN” (trust me, it’s going to be a thing) and USC is yet again generating players to keep an eye put for. Senior linebackers Cameron Smith and Porter Gustin were named to the 2018 Butkus Award watchlist one week after being named on the Chuck Bednarik Award watchlist.
The Butkus Award is given to the nation’s top linebacker and is usually an indicator of a player’s success trajectory with recent first-round draft picks Roquan Smith (Georgia) and Reuben Foster(Alabama) being the last two recipients of the award.
Cameron Smith on the watchlist makes too much sense as the USC team captain led the team in tackles last season with 112(in all 14 games, mind you) and made the All-Pac-12 team for his efforts.