Boston College's Steele Divitto Named To Butkus Award Watch List

The preseason watch lists seem to be split on who Boston College's top linebacker will be heading into the 2013 season.

Last week, Boston College senior Kevin Pierre-Louis was among one of 27 linebackers named to the 2013 Bronko Nagurski Award, presented annually to the national defensive player of the year. On Monday, it was KPL's fellow backer, senior Steele Divitto, that earned the nod on the Butkus Award preseason watch list. I suppose this is a good problem to have.

Divitto is one of 51 linebackers named to the 2013 Butkus Award Watch List, presented annually to the nation's best linebacker. A rising senior, Divitto has started in each of the Eagles' last 24 games. Last season, he recorded 92 tackles in 12 games, good for second on the team behind Nick Clancy's 145 tackles. Over his career, the 6-foot-3, 238 pounder has registered 184 tackles, including 99 solo tackles, in 35 games.

One of the 28 Butkus Awards handed out to date is already in the Boston College football trophy case as Luke Kuechly took home the award in 2011.

Divitto will also represent the program at this coming weekend's ACC Football Kickoff in Greensboro, North Carolina. Congratulations to Steele.

Complete 2013 Butkus Award Preseason Watch List below:

Jerry Attaochu, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Anthony Barr, UCLA Bruins
Lamin Barrow, LSU Tigers
Dorian Bell, Duquesne Dukes
Greg Blair, Cincinnati Bearcats
Chris Borland, Wisconsin Badgers
Carl Bradford, Arizona St. Sun Devils
Preston Brown, Louisville Cardinals
Jonathan Brown, Illinois Fighting Illini
Max Bullough, Michigan St. Spartans
Carlo Calabrese, Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Glenn Carson, Penn St. Nittany Lions
Steele Divitto, Boston College Eagles
Dan Fox, Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Jeremiah George, Iowa St. Cyclones
Spencer Hadley, BYU Cougars
Bryce Hager, Baylor Bears
Anthony Hitchens, Iowa Hawkeyes
Adrian Hubbard, Alabama Crimson Tide
Cqulin Hubert, Southeastern Louisiana Lions
Andrew Jackson, Western Kentucky Hilltoppers
Jordan Jenkins, Georgia Bulldogs
Derrell Johnson, East Carolina Pirates
A.J. Johnson, Tennessee Volunteers
Christian Jones, Florida St. Seminoles
Eric Kendricks, UCLA Bruins
Christian Kirksey, Iowa Hawkeyes
Dede Lattimore, South Florida Bulls
Boseko Lokombo, Oregon Ducks
Khalil Mack, Buffalo Bulls
Benardrick McKinney, Mississippi St. Bulldogs
Jamal Merrell, Rutgers Scarlet Knights
James Morris, Iowa Hawkeyes
C.J. Mosley, Alabama Crimson Tide
Trent Murphy, Stanford Cardinal
Hayes Pullard, USC Trojans
Trevor Reilly, Utah Utes
D.T. Shackelford, Mississippi Rebels
Ryan Shazier, Ohio St. Buckeyes
Prince Shembo, Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Deontae Skinner, Mississippi St. Bulldogs
Shane Skov, Stanford Cardinal
Yawin Smallwood, Connecticut Huskies
Telvin Smith, Florida St. Seminoles
Uani Unga, BYU Cougars
Kyle Van Noy, BYU Cougars
Brandon Watts, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Derrick Webb, Colorado Buffaloes
Avery Williamson, Kentucky Wildcats
Chris Young, Arizona St. Sun Devils
Jordan Zumwalt, UCLA Bruins