Three big-time recruits set to play in the SEC were recently named finalists for the high school version of The Butkus Award, annually given to the top linebacker in the country.

Alabama commit Jackson Bratton of Muscle Shoals, Alabama, Georgia commit Mekhail Sherman of Washington, D.C. and LSU commit Antoine Sampah of Woodbridge, Virginia are among the five finalists for the award. Jackson and Sampah are listed as 4-star recruits, according to the 247Sports Composite, while Sherman is a 5-star. Georgia’s Nakobe Dean won the award last year.

The other finalists are Notre Dame commit Jordan Botehlho, from St. Louis (Hawaii), and Justin Flowe, from Upland, California, the nation’s No. 1-ranked linebacker prospect who is uncommitted.

Overall, an independent Butkus Award Selection Committee comprised of 51 experts, including professional, college and high school scouts, and prominent sports journalists, conduct the selection process.

The selection committee is an impressive list of coaches, executives and media analysts across college and pro football, including New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick, ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Kirk Herbstreit and Alabama coach Nick Saban. It will be announced by Dec. 10.

Instituted in 1985, The Butkus Award is one of the elite individual honors in college football. In 2008, The Butkus Foundation, took stewardship of the award to fully realize the original purpose of honoring athletic achievement and service to the community while honoring the nation’s best high school, college, and professional linebackers.