Laurinaitis won the Butkus Award for most outstanding college linebacker in 2007.

But I think there are a lot of good college linebackers, a good number of cornerbacks, some safeties.

The winner of the first two Butkus Awards as the nation's top college linebacker, he remains the only player ever to have won the accolade more than once.

He played college football for the University of Oklahoma, earned consensus All-American honors twice, and was recognized as the nation's top college linebacker.

The tall, former college linebacker had an amused sneer on his face.

Team officials said privately that Katzenmoyer, the Butkus award winner for best college linebacker, was hurt most by a lack of speed.

A squarely built, 6-foot-2-inch former college linebacker, Mr. Cummins, 52, says his mantra is, "Maybe wrong but never in doubt."

He became a good college linebacker who made many plays.