Alabama announced yesterday that Tide linebacker Don’t’a Hightower was a finalist for the Lott Trophy that was announced by the Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation.

Hightower, a native of Franklin, Tenn., leads the Crimson Tide with a career-best 81 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss (-35 yards), 3.0 sacks (-16 yards), one interception (29 yards), three pass breakups and eight quarterback hurries.

Named after Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott who use to play for the San Francisco 49ers and Oakland Raiders, the Lott Trophy is awarded to college football's Defensive IMPACT Player of the Year. Now in its eighth year, the Lott Trophy is the first college football award to equally recognize athletic performance and the personal character attributes of the player.

The award is sponsored by The Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation in Newport Beach, the award is given to the player who exhibits the same characteristics Lott embodied during his distinguished career: Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community and Tenacity. T

he IMPACT Foundation will award $25,000 to the general scholarship fund of the winner's university with each of the runner-up's school receiving $5,000; DeMeco Ryans won the award in 2005.

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