Georgia’s Nakobe Dean on Sunday won the Butkus Award, given to the nation’s best collegiate linebacker, the school announced.

Dean, a native of Horn Lake, Miss., received 34 percent of the weighted vote and 52 percent of the first-place votes to secure the award. He was chosen from the other finalists consisting of Utah’s Devin Lloyd, Wisconsin’s Leo Chenal, LSU’s Damone Clark, Cincinnati’s Darrian Beavers and Wyoming’s Chad Muma, according to an announcement from the Butkus Foundation.

Dean joins Roquan Smith (2017) as the second Georgia player to win the Butkus Award in its 37-year history since 1985. There have been 4 other Bulldog finalists five different years in recent history, including Monty Rice (2020), Leonard Floyd (2015), Jarvis Jones (2011, 2012) and Justin Houston (2010).

Capturing the high school award in 2018, Dean joins only Manti Te’o and Jaylon Smith as the only players to win both the national high school and collegiate trophies.

“Nakobe Dean is a playmaker with a special combination of strength, coverage ability, playmaking flair and leadership skill,” according to the award selection committee. “He consistently makes his presence felt on the field and in the community, elevates the defense with his command and is a complete linebacker who has made a tremendous impact on Georgia’s program.”