Fresh off an SEC honor, Longhorns star Rasheem Biles is again in the national spotlight. On Wednesday, he was named a semifinalist for the Butkus Award. Each year, the award is given to the nation's top collegiate linebacker. As Biles looks to lead Texas to a national title, he will also hope to make history. Over the last decade-plus, Texas has been popular when it comes to the Butkus Award. Former Longhorn Anthony Hill Jr. was a finalist last season, becoming the first player since Sergio Kindle in 2009 to reach that stage. The last player in program history to win the award was Derrick Johnson in 2004.
Texas LB Rasheem Biles against Ole Miss: 4 total tackles 1 TFL 2 PBUs 1 INT SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Week pic.twitter.com/9WzxCMRCiE
— Underdog CFB (@UnderdogCFB) October 26, 2026
Through seven games, Biles has 52 total tackles and a career-high three interceptions. He has also added three pass deflections to his resume and only needs one more to match his total from last season. As the Longhorns' defense has been hit hard by injury, Biles has stepped up and been a model of excellence.
While Biles has been one of the Longhorns' best players, he also ranks near the top of the leaderboards in several categories. He ranks third in the SEC and 12th in the FBS with three interceptions. The Longhorns star also ranks third in the conference in interceptions.
Ain’t nobody tougher🤘 pic.twitter.com/zzUZeVGYlo
— Texas Football (@TexasFootball) October 28, 2026
Biles is one of 15 semifinalists, marking the first time he has been selected for the award. The Columbus, Ohio, native will be watching closely as voting for the Butkus Award plays out, hoping to add to his trophy case.
Regardless of how voting plays out, Biles has already proven to be an invaluable piece. He has helped keep the Longhorns ' playoff hopes alive and is now moving closer to winning one of the most prestigious awards in college football.
Contact/Follow us @LonghornsWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas news, notes and opinions. Follow Jamie Gatlin on X: @Gatlinsports.
This article originally appeared on Longhorns Wire: Texas Longhorns LB Rasheem Biles named Butkus Award semifinalist
