Jul 22, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Maryland linebacker Daniel Wingate speaks to the media during the Big Ten NCAA college football media days at Mandalay Bay Resort. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images

Maryland linebacker Daniel Wingate named to 2025 Butkus Award watchlist

Originally posted on Maryland Terrapins on SI
By Brandon Walker | Last updated Jul 31, 2025 11:33 AM ET

Maryland junior linebacker Daniel Wingate showed his potential as a stud linebacker last season. Now, college football voters from around the country have seen it, as Wingate has been named to the 2025 Butkus Award Watchlist. The Butkus Award is given to the top linebacker in college football.

Wingate (6-foot-5, 230 pounds), one of ten players from the Big Ten named to the Butkus Award Watchlist recorded 50 tackles and 6.5 tackles for loss in 2024, playing alongside current Chicago Bear linebacker Ruben Hyppolite II. Now he feels he is ready to take the reins as the centerpiece of Maryland's defense under new coordinator Ted Monachino.

Maryland LB Daniel Wingate has been named to the Butkus Award Watchlist. The Butkus Award is given annually to the best linebacker in college football. pic.twitter.com/aKvsTSzvAJ
— Inside Maryland Sports (@Terrapins247) July 30, 2025

After many departures via the NFL Draft, graduation, or the transfer portal, Wingate appears ready to lead the defense. He previously spoke about being overlooked, as well as his teammates, to illustrate how many of them were ignored during their prep careers in regards to the recruiting process.

"A lot of us are overlooked and not really scouted highly, so we have a chip on our shoulder and are ready to show the world what we've got." Wingate stated during his session at Big Ten Media Day last week.

The voters will announce the semifinalist on Nov. 4 and the finalist on Nov. 25, and the winner will be announced at the end of the regular season on Dec. 10, and a banquet in the winner's honor will take place in early 2026 at the campus of the University of Illinois, Butkus' alma mater.

This article first appeared on Maryland Terrapins on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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