J.B. Butler

Height:
6-3
Weight:
300
Position:
OL
Class:
Redshirt Sophomore
Hometown:
Plainfield, Ill.
High School:
Joliet Catholic

2018: Appeared in 13 games in his senior season, making 10 starts at left guard … Helped protect quarterback Clayton Thorson as he threw for 3,183 yards, the third-highest mark in the Big Ten … also helped pave the way for first-year running back Isaiah Bowser, who averaged 108 rushing yards over the last eight games of the season.

2017: Appeared in all 13 games, starting the final nine of the regular season at left guard ... Key cog in the Wildcats' offensive line that paved the way to Justin Jackson rushing for 1,000 yards in a fourth-straight season ... Helped protect the blind side of All-Big Ten quarterback Clayton Thorson ... Academic All-Big Ten.

2016: Started the final seven games of the seasons, six at left guard and one at right guard ... The Wildcats rushed for 253 and 278 yards in wins at Purdue and over Illinois with Butler in the starting ... Was key in the Wildcats rushing for 248 yards in their Pinstripe Bowl victory over No. 23 Pittsburgh ... Also contributes on special teams as a personal protector on punt unit ... Forced a fumble in the Wildcats’ win over the Fighting Illini.

2015:Appeared in eight games, primarily as a backup center and on field goal units.

2014: Redshirted his first year in Evanston.

High School: Four-year varsity letterwinner at Joliet Catholic ... First-team All-Area and second-team All-State honoree ... Three-time All-East Suburban Catholic performer ... Helped Joliet Catholic achieve an overall record of 40-13 in his four years with the Hilltoppers ... Three-time Academic All-State ... Also an honor roll student and a member of the National Spanish Honor Society.

Personal: Born James Robert Butler in Joliet, Ill. ... Son of Tom and Margaret Butler ... Father played Division I basketball at Butler University ... Chose Northwestern over Illinois, Harvard, Brown, Dartmouth and Northern Illinois ... Undergraduate major was political science with a minor in business institutions ... Enrolled in data science master's program.