NFL Draft: Interview with Top LB Prospect Larry Butler III
Once considered to be one of the nation’s top linebacker recruits, Larry Butler III is leaving his mark at Southern Nazarene University, a division two school not necessarily known for its football. Ranked as a three star prospect by every nearly every major publication and also ranked in the top three by position, Larry Butler III is on his way to making a name for himself in the NFL.
I had the great opportunity to talk with Larry about his struggles to overcome the multiple curveballs both football and life have thrown at him. I’m honored to share his story and give readers and fellow football enthusiasts the chance to learn about a guy who’s luck just hasn’t been on his side. We spoke multiple times about his high school development, how he reached Southern Nazarene, and what he hopes the future holds for him.
"“(My) high school career was unique in the fact I started out as a running back as a freshman and sophomore, but gained a lot of weight and made the switch to linebacker. I weighed 165 lbs in 9th grade and by the summer going into 10th grade I was 208 lbs. My head coach Michael Roach influenced me a lot in a positive way not having a father I saw him as a role model.”"
Larry Butler committed to SEC powerhouse University of Tennessee after coach Derek Dooley made a strong push to land him. Unable to attend due to an academics issue, Butler opted to attend Eastern Arizona Junior College. While being heavily recruited by other SEC schools, Larry was unable to sign with any because of the SEC’s “three-semester rule”, preventing players from transferring until they’ve been at the same junior college for three consecutive semesters.
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This led him to committing to New Mexico State University. Unfortunately, Eastern Arizona didn’t release his transcript in time, causing him to be ruled ineligible for the 2013 NCAA football season. After missing the season, his DI eligibility was quickly fading away. Still clutching his dreams of playing in the NFL, Larry Butler decided to take his talents to Division II. With offers from Southern Nazarene, Henderson St. West Georgia, West Texas A&M and Lincoln University Butler finally settled with Southern Nazarene. While Southern Nazarene isn’t the first place you would consider playing football, Larry loved the “christian environment” SNU provided and made the small Oklahoma City school his home.
Best suited to play in a 3-4 scheme, he feels like he’s “versatile enough to fit in any scheme.” You can easily find him on the field with his excellent size and dynamic run stopping capabilities. The quick, straight-line speed he shows when pursuing a runner is unmatched in his league and his athleticism is off the charts. I can’t say enough about his run-stopping and tackling. He wraps up well and never lets go of the opposing player, no matter what. His hits are tremendous as well, leaving quarterbacks on their rears every chance he gets. He looks like a man playing against boys on the field.
Toughness is another attribute that stands out with his tape, especially when he played multiple games with a broken hand, which has since healed “100 percent.” While he acknowledges his coverage ability “needs some work”, he says he’s “been working on that all off season (and) hopes to show improvement.” Despite that minor note, he draws comparisons to Jon Beason, Jeff Luc and 2015 pick Denzel Perryman. He’s willing to do whatever it takes to help his team, which includes playing a role on the special teams squad. Ultimately though, his “ultimate goal is to be a starter.”
In my mind, the most important answer I got from Larry is “What would you say to people who say you can’t make the jump and that the competition level is so much less than you would face in D1 or NFL?” He gave the best answer i could have imagined, saying “I would say I’m an SEC caliber player whose had bad luck and when I get my chance in an all star game following this season I’ll prove I’m the best.”
As he looks towards his dreams of playing in the NFL, Larry is hoping to emulate his favorite player of all time, Sean Taylor. Born in Sacramento, he’s an avid Raiders fan, a team he could definitely see playing for someday. He brings absolutely no off the field red flags and always come in with an unbeatable work-ethic.
While Division Two players don’t usually get their fair chance, Larry is looking forward to getting an invite to the Senior Bowl this winter and being able to showcase his talents against other elite prospects. Seeing other Division Two players such as Jaquiski Tartt and Ali Marpet get drafted in 2015 gave Butler “a lot of hope…and motives me to work even harder.”
Looking towards the upcoming college football season, I told Larry I can’t wait to see his 2015-2016 tape. Once he fine-tunes some aspects of his game, he’s undoubtedly one of, if not the, top middle linebacker prospect in the NFL Draft. I’ll be looking for him on day two of the draft with the hope he can use that relentless athleticism and unique skill set to make it in the NFL.