WEST CHESTER, Ohio --

A Lakota West senior has been named the nation's top high school linebacker.

Jordan Hicks is the second player to receive the Butkus Award for high school linebackers, following Manti Te'o from Punahou High School in Hawaii, who started for Notre Dame this fall as a true freshman linebacker.

The 6-foot-2, 220-pound Hicks is considered one of the top football players in Ohio at any position, and he's weighing offers from a number of Division I college programs.

"My hat is off in particular to Jordan Hicks for becoming the 2009 Butkus Award winner, for all that he's already accomplished both on and off the field during his high school football career, and all that we can see is yet to come," said Hub Arkush of Pro Football Weekly, who coordinates the 51-person selection committee of professional, collegiate and high school football experts.

Hicks finished his senior season with 95 tackles in 10 games, including 65 solo tackles and 13 tackles for a loss.

Lakota West's defense allowed only 8 points per game during a 9-2 season.

Hicks carries a 3.4 grade-point average and scored a 25 on his ACT exam.

He is a member of the J. Kyle Braid leadership group at Lakota West, an anti-drug, alcohol and tobacco group, and volunteers for the school's junior high school basketball program.

Hicks joins Rolando McClain, a junior linebacker at Alabama, as a fellow Butkus Award winner for 2009, and a professional honoree will be announced in January 2010.

A reception honoring all three winners is expected in late February 2010, and a Butkus Award television program will air on Fox Sports Net and TUFF TV.

The Butkus Award is named after Dick Butkus, who is considered one of the greatest football players in history.