Newsstand: Notre Dame LB commit Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa named Butkus Award finalist

Kyle Kellyby:Kyle Kelly•11/24/23•

ByKyleKelly

On Wednesday, Prep Football Report analyst Tom Lemming named Notre Dame linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa one of five finalists for the Butkus Award. The award honors the top linebacker in high school football. 

Lemming serves on the Butkus Award committee. He also recognized fellow 2024 class linebackers Sammy Brown, Payton Pierce, Brayden Platt and Justin Williams as finalists. The Irish offered scholarships to the other four finalists. However, they all chose to commit elsewhere. 

The winner will be announced on Dec. 7. 

The 6-foot-2, 235-pound Viliamu-Asa is having an outstanding senior season at Bellflower (Calif.) St. John Bosco. In 12 games, he has registered 108 tackles (50 solo), 13 tackles for loss, 3 pass breakups, 1.5 sacks, a fumble recovery and an interception. 

The St. John Bosco Braves (11-1) face Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei (11-1) in the California/Southern Section Division I playoffs championship Friday night at the Los Angeles Coliseum. 

Viliamu-Asa is the No. 66 overall player, No. 6 linebacker nationally and No. 6 prospect in California, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a proprietary algorithm that compiles ratings and rankings from all four primary recruiting media services. 

Last year, Notre Dame linebacker Drayk Bowen won the award after an outstanding senior season at Merrillville (Ind.) Andrean. In 14 games, he registered 144 total tackles (90 solo), 19 tackles for loss and five sacks. Not to mention five pass breakups, four caused fumbles, two interceptions, a fumble recovery and a blocked punt.

Former Notre Dame linebackers Manti Te’o (2008), Jaylon Smith (2012) and Prince Kollie (2020) previously earned the honor in high school. Smith and Te’o are the only players to win the high school and collegiate awards. Kollie transferred to Vanderbilt in the spring after two seasons with the Irish.

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