Penn State cornerback [autotag]Kalen King[/autotag] continues to be recognized as one of the nation’s top defensive backs, and now he is one step closer to being recognized as the best in the nation. King was named to the watch list for the Jim Thorpe Award this week, recognizing Penn State’s top defensive back as one of the best in the nation in 2023.
The Jim Thorpe Award, presented by the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame each year, is awarded to the top defensive back in college football. It is named after Jim Thorpe, arguably one of the greatest athletes of all time and a Pennsylvania sports legend for Carlisle Indiana Industrial School under head coach Pop Warner. Thorpe is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
King is coming off a stellar season in the Penn State defense in 2022. He was named a third-team All-Big Ten player by the Big Ten coaches and media and received third-team All-America from Pro Football Focus and an honorable mention for All-American by Phil Steele. The Walter Camp Football Foundation named King a second-team All-American.
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King intercepted three passes and forced a fumble last season. He also notched a fumble recovery. He was the Big Ten’s leader in defended passes with 21 and pass breakups with 18.
Penn State has never had a player win the Jim Thorpe Award. The first winner of the award in 1986 was Baylor’s Thomas Everett. Last year’s winner was Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson of TCU.
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