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Alabama linebacker C.J. Mosley (32) celebrates a stop during the first quarter of the No. 1 Alabama vs. Chattanooga NCAA football game, Saturday, November 23, 2013, at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Vasha Hunt/vhunt@al.com)

-- Alabama linebacker

C.J. Mosley

was presented with the 2013 Butkus Award on Sunday at the Crimson Tide's team banquet.

Legendary linebacker

Dick Butkus

was on hand to present the award -- which goes annually to the nation's top linebacker -- to Mosley, who led Alabama with 102 tackles, nine of which went for a loss.

Mosley is the third player in Alabama history to win the Butkus Award, joining

Derrick Thomas

(1988) and

Rolando McClain

(2009).





Mosley beat out finalists

Anthony Barr

(UCLA),

Khalil Mack

(Buffalo),

Ryan Shazier

(Ohio State) and

Shayne Skov

(Stanford) to win it.

"This year's college linebacker class was among the best history. Mosley's combination of instincts, range, playmaking ability, on-field leadership and work ethic distinguished his performance," the 51-member Butkus Award committee announced in a statement. "His selfless contributions on special teams and in the community speak to his strength of character and support the Butkus Award mission."

Along with his massive lead in tackles, Mosley also had five pass breakups, eight quarterback hurries and a forced fumble during a season that saw him earn Defensive Player of the Week honors from Alabama's coaches following 11 of 12 games.

Mosley has an opportunity to fill up his trophy case this week.

He heads to Charlotte on Monday for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy ceremony (best defensive player). On Wednesday, he'll be in Houston for Lombardi Award ceremony. On Thursday, he'll be with quarterback

AJ McCarron

in Orlando for the Home Depot College Football Awards Show, where he could potentially win the Bednarik Award.

"I'm just playing football, really," Mosley said last month. "I'm pretty much a laid back guy. I try to stay humble about everything. I know I wouldn't be in the position I am now if it wasn't for the coaches and my teammates, so I am blessed to be in the situation."

Mosley is fourth in program history with 313 tackles.

Wayne Davis

holds the record with 327.

"C.J.'s played fantastic football every game this year," Alabama coach

Nick Saban

said in the days leading up to the Iron Bowl. "I can't recall that he's ever had a bad game. I think he's been the points leader on defense, production points, just about every game. His leadership, his ability to affect the other players in terms of getting us lined up right, getting us in the right defense, making the right adjustments, I think is just as critical as his phenomenal play, in terms of his playmaking ability and him doing a great job in terms of doing his job."