Boise State linebacker Tanner Vallejo was named to the Butkus Award Preseason Watch List, the Butkus Foundation announced Tuesday.
It is the second preseason watch list to which Vallejo has been named in 2016. Friday he was named a candidate for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy. He is one of 51 candidates for the Butkus Award, and one of three from the Mountain West Conference.
Vallejo has twice earned All-Mountain West honors, being named honorable mention in 2015 after earning a spot on the second team in 2014.
Over 12 games (10 starts) in 2015, he finished with 57 tackles (32 solo), third-best on the team, tied for second with a pair of forced fumbles and tied for fourth with 8.0 tackles-for-loss over 12 games (10 starts).