The 2021 NFL Draft concluded on Saturday with no Liberty football players being selected. However, former Liberty linebacker Anthony Butler quickly came to terms with the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent. His deal includes an $8,000 signing bonus according to Justin Melo of Broadway Sports Media.
Butler, who elected to forego his super senior season with the Flames, had been in contact with several NFL teams ahead of the draft, including the Colts. He spent the 2020 season at Liberty after transferring from Charlotte. He recorded 67 tackles to go along with four tackles for loss, one sack, two interceptions, and four passes defended during the 2020 season. The 6’1″ 222 pound linebacker tallied 18 total pressures, including four sacks, along with 15 tackles for loss over the previous three seasons. This past season, he was PFF’s 17th highest graded coverage linebacker.
He took part in a Pro Day workout on campus at Liberty in Lynchburg, Virginia on March 25th where he performed in front of roughly four or five scouts including a scout from the 49ers and Cleveland Browns. Butler recorded a career-high 72 tackles, 6.5 tackles for a loss, and two interceptions during his sophomore season with Charlotte in 2017. Butler’s senior year culminated with an impressive performance in Liberty’s 37-34 win against Coastal Carolina in the Cure Bowl during which he recorded nine total tackles and a sack.
Following the 2020 NFL Draft where Antonio Gandy-Golden became the first Flame to be drafted since 2014, Liberty saw four players sign as undrafted free agents as Jessie Lemonier, Elijah Benton, Solomon Ajayi, and Bejour Wilson all inked NFL deals. Lemonier and Benton each spent time on active NFL rosters during the 2020 season.
