McCoy named to Butkus list
Linebacker Bryan McCoy, Jr. was named to the Butkus Award preseason watch list, the Butkus Foundation announced on Wednesday.
McCoy will be playing his first season in an Oklahoma State uniform following a very successful stint at Akron. He led the Zips in tackles en route to all-conference (MAC) honors in each of the past two seasons. In 2024, McCoy was No. 8 in the Football Bowl Subdivision with an average of 10.0 tackles per game over the course of the season. He brings with him 33 career games of experience, of which he has started 18 games.
He’s among nine players from the Big 12 Conference to be named to the Butkus preseason watch list.
When he entered his name into the NCAA Transfer Portal last December, McCoy quickly became a top target for former Cowboy linebacker and current Director of Football Business Kenyatta Wright. He wound up being the first commitment for the OSU defense under the guidance of Todd Grantham. He went through spring drills in Stillwater established himself as a likely starter heading into Fall Camp this month.
Semifinalists for the award will be named November 4 and finalists will be named November 25. The winner will be revealed by December 10. The 2025 winner will be honored at a ceremony at the University of Illinois’ Memorial Stadium in early 2026.
The 51-member selection committee, comprised of coaches, scouts and journalists, evaluates candidates based on the qualities that defined Butkus’ career: toughness, leadership, competitiveness, football character, and traditional linebacking skills.
