Reuben Foster Wins 2016 Butkus Award: Latest Comments and Reaction

The Alabama Crimson Tide reached the College Football Playoff behind a stingy defense, and one of the group's key components was honored on Sunday.

According to Ralph D. Russo of the Associated Press, linebacker Reuben Foster was named the Butkus Award winner as the best linebacker in the country. The announcement was also made on Dick Butkus' official Facebook page.

Foster took to Twitter in the aftermath of the award and discussed meeting the legendary linebacker and quoted the Hall of Famer:

According to Matt Zenitz of AL.com, Foster became the fourth Alabama linebacker to win the award. Derrick Thomas captured it in 1988, Rolando McClain won in 2009 and C.J. Mosley won in 2013.

The award's official website said Vanderbilt's Zach Cunningham was the runner-up, while Florida's Jarrad Davis finished in third place. LSU's Kendall Beckwith and Iowa's Josey Jewell finished in fourth and fifth place, respectively.

Foster has 83 total tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, two sacks and two pass deflections on the season, per Sports-Reference.com.

While Foster likely has his eyes on winning Alabama its second straight national title, he has a bright NFL future awaiting him if he delivers on his potential. Bleacher Report's Matt Miller wasn't afraid to compare the Crimson Tide playmaker to one of the better linebackers in recent years in the professional ranks:

Gordon McGuinness of Pro Football Focus called Foster "the best, most complete linebacker in the nation" before he was named as such with the Butkus Award. McGuinness praised his ability to stuff the run but also pointed to his coverage skills that were "worthy of a top draft pick."

Considering Foster can also attack the quarterback on blitzes, there is little he cannot do on the football field. His presence, along with that of defensive lineman Jonathan Allen and fellow linebacker Tim Williams, is one reason Alabama was the nation's best defense throughout the undefeated campaign:

Stat	Total	National Rank
Yards Allowed per Game	248	1
Points Allowed per Game	11.8	1
Passing Yards Allowed per Game	15	184.5
Rushing Yards Allowed per Game	63.4	1

If the 13-0 Crimson Tide continue to play such suffocating defense with their newly crowned Butkus Award winner, they will likely hold up another national championship trophy at season's end.