- Indiana
West Lafayette LB Yanni Karlaftis named to watch list for high school Butkus Award
It’s more or less a consensus that Yanni Karlaftis one of the best — if not THE best — linebackers in Indiana.
But could he be one of the best in the nation, too?
He’s on the list, so to speak.
The Butkus Award put out its annual watch list on Monday, and the West Lafayette outside linebacker is the lone representative from Indiana among the 51 players on it.
A four-star recruit, the 6-foot-3, 203-pound Karlaftis is set to make his college decision on Aug. 9, having trimmed his list down to a final four — Cal, Oregon, Wisconsin and Purdue, where older brother, George, was a freshman All-American— earlier in July.
The high school Butkus has been awarded since 2008, but Bishop Luers’ Jaylon Smith (2012) is the only player from Indiana to win the award to date.
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Below are the other 50 players on this year’s watch list (in alphabetical order):
Kendrick Blackshire, Duncanville — Duncanville, Texas
Morice Blackwell, Martin — Arlington, Texas
Chief Borders, Carrollton — Carrollton, Ga.
Naquan Brown, Ocean Lakes — Virginia Beach, Va.
Jamari Buddin, Belleville — Belleville, Mich.
Ethan Calvert, Oaks Christian — Westlake Village, Calif.
Reid Carrico, Ironton — Ironton, Ohio
Zavier Carter, Hapeville Charter — Atlanta, Ga.
Barrett Carter, North Gwinnett — Suwanee, Ga.
Chaz Chambliss, Carrollton — Carrollton, Ga.
Junior Colson, Ravenwood — Brentwood, Tenn.
Raesjon Davis, Mater Dei — Santa Ana, Calif.
Raneiria Dillworth, Glenn — Kernersville, NC
Jamon Dumas—Johnson, St. Frances Academy — Baltimore, Md.
Power Echols, Vance — Charlotte, NC
Jonathan Flowe, Upland — Upland, Calif.
Ma’a Gaoteote, St. John Bosco — Bellflower, Calif.
Michael Gaughan, St. Rita — Chicago, Ill.
Eric Gentry, Neumann Goretti — Philadelphia, Pa.
Derrick Harris Jr, New Caney — New Caney, Texas
Jaydon Hood, St. Thomas Aquinas — Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Wynden Ho’ohuli, Mililani — Mililani, Hawaii
Branden Jennings, Sandalwood — Jacksonville, Fla.
Tyler Johnson, Killian — Miami, Fla.
Yanni Karlaftis, West Lafayette — West Lafayette, Ind.
Prince Kollie, David Crockett — Jonesborough, Tenn.
Randolph Kpai, Washington — Sioux Falls, SD
Deontae Lawson, Mobile Christian — Mobile, Ala.
Terrence Lewis, Northwestern — Miami, Fla.
Jackie Marshall, East St. John — Reserve, NC
Tyler McLaurin, Bolingbrook — Bolingbrook, Ill.
Jabril McNeill, Sanderson — Raleigh, NC
Chamon Metayer, North Miami — Miami, Fla.
Smael Mondon, Paulding County — Dallas, Ga.
Sam Ofurie, IMG Academy — Bradenton, Fla.
Collin Oliver, Santa Fe — Edmond, OK
Greg Penn III, DeMatha Catholic — Hyattsville, Md.
Casey Phinney, Noble & Greenough — Dedham, Mass.
Jake Ratzlaff, Rosemount Senior — Rosemount, Minn.
Demeioun Robinson, Quince Orchard — Ga.ithersburg, Md.
Bryan Sanborn, Lake Zurich — Lake Zurich, Ill.
Xavian Sorey, Graceville — Graceville, Fla.
Gabe Stephens, Mountain Island — Mt. Holly, NC
Terrell Tilmon, Mansfield Timberview — Arlington, Texas
Jeremiah Trotter Jf, St. Joseph’s — Philadelphia, Pa.
Mason Tufago, St. Louis — Honolulu, Hawaii
Matt Weerts, Batavia — Batavia, Ill.
James Wilborn Jr, Avon Old Farms — Avon, Conn.
Jeremiah Williams, Ramsay — Birmingham, Ala.
Aaron Willis, St. Frances Academy — Baltimore, Md.
Dameon Wilson, Kings Mountain — Kings Mountain, NC
