Tag: Thorpe Award

Texas A&M safety Demani Richardson named to Jim Thorpe Award Preseason Watch List

Ahead of his fifth season in Aggieland, Demani Richardson has been named to the Jim Thorpe Award Preseason Watchlist, which is given to the best defensive back in college football.

One of Texas A&M‘s essential defensive leaders has been placed on the watchlist for a highly respected accolade ahead of the 2023 football season.

On Thursday morning, it was revealed that senior safety Demani Richardson was named to the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Preseason Watch List, as announced by the Oklahoma Sports Club and Jim Thorpe Association. The honor is given annually to the best defensive back in college football based on performance on the field, athletic ability, and character.

If you search for the term “consistency” in the dictionary, you’ll likely find Demani Richardson as the preeminent definition. As the senior safety returns for his fifth season in Aggieland, he’s missed just one start in the 44 games he’s appeared in for the Maroon and White. In 2022, Richardson led the team in total tackles with 73 and ranked 11th in the SEC with 48 solo tackles.

He finished second in team pass breakups (5) last season and earned two SEC Defensive Player of the Week honors following wins over Arkansas and LSU, in which he scored a pair of defensive touchdowns.

As Texas A&M prepares for a pivotal 2023 season, the team will rely on Richardson’s veteran experience and expertise in the Aggies’ defensive scheme to lead a safety group that has true star potential. For the unit to live up to its prospects, Richardson must be both a chief on the field and a mentor to those set to be his heir apparent, such as the likes of sophomore Bryce Anderson.

Richardson is the latest Aggie to be added to a preseason watchlist for individual hardware, joining McKinnley Jackson, Nik Constantinou, Max Wright, Bryce Foster, Donovan Green, and Edgerrin Cooper.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Pete on Twitter: @PeteThreee.

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Andrew Mukuba placed on the Thorpe Award watch list, presented annually to the nation’s top defensive back

Andrew Mukuba is one of the best defensive backs heading into the 2023 season.

The Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame and Jim Thorpe Association announced today that safety Andrew Mukuba has been named as one of 35 members on the 2023 watch list for the Jim Thorpe Award, presented annually to the nation’s top defensive back.

Additional information from award organizers is included below. Visit the 2023 Preseason Honors hub for more preseason accolades garnered by Clemson.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Today, Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame (OSHOF) and Jim Thorpe Association released the prestigious Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Preseason Watch List. This list includes 35 of the nation’s best defensive backs, representing 10 conferences and one independent university. The preseason watch list is selected by a screening committee whose members compile a list of up to 50 players based on previous performance in NCAA Division I college football and preseason All-America lists. This list is not final, and players who have outstanding seasons may be added to the semifinalists and finalists lists as the season progresses.

2023 Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Preseason Watch List

Micah Abraham, Marshall, Sr.
Yam Banks, South Alabama, Jr.
Cole Bishop, Utah, Jr.
Cobee Bryant, Kansas, Jr.
Calen Bullock, USC, Jr.
Denzel Burke, Ohio State, Jr.
Fentrell Cypress II, Florida State, Jr.
Cooper DeJean, Iowa, Jr.
Tra Fluellen, Middle Tennessee, Sr.
Marcus Fuqua, Buffalo, Sr.
Jack Howell, Colorado State, Jr.
Will Johnson, Michigan, So.
Kamren Kinchens, Miami (FL), Jr.
Kalen King, Penn State, Jr.
Ike Larsen, Utah State, So.
Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama, Jr.
Quinyon Mitchell, Toledo, Jr.
Jarius Monroe, Tulane, Sr.
Benjamin Morrison, Notre Dame, So.
Andrew Mukuba, Clemson, Jr.
Josh Newton, TCU, Sr.
Tyler Nubin, Minnesota, Sr.
Lathan Ransom, Ohio State, Sr.
Demani Richardson, Texas A&M, Sr.
Willie Roberts, Louisiana Tech, Sr.
Teldrick Ross, Middle Tennessee, Sr.
Kobe Savage, Kansas State, Sr.
Jay Stanley, Southern Miss, Sr.
Malaki Starks, Georgia, So.
Reddy Steward, Troy, Sr.
Cameron Stone, Hawaii, Sr.
Upton Stout, Western Kentucky, So.
TJ Tampa, Iowa State, Sr.
Trey Taylor, Air Force, Sr.
Aydan White, NC State, Jr.

By Conference
AAC (1), ACC (4), Big Ten (6), Big 12 (4), C-USA (4), Independent (1), MAC (2), MW (4), PAC-12 (2), SEC (3), Sun Belt (4)

The Paycom Jim Thorpe Award is a member of the National College Football Awards Association. Founded in 1997, the NCFAA includes college football’s most prestigious awards and its 24 awards have honored more than 900 recipients dating back to 1935. This season, 12 NCFAA awards will honor national players of the week each Tuesday.

Sixteen NCFAA members are unveiling preseason watch lists over a two-week period as the association spearheads a coordinated effort to promote each award’s preseason candidates. Following is the remaining 2023 preseason watch list calendar:

Mon., July 31: Maxwell Award
Tue., Aug. 1: Outland Trophy/Bronko Nagurski Trophy
Wed., Aug. 2: Lou Groza Award/Ray Guy Award
Thu., Aug. 3: Paul Hornung Award/Wuerffel Trophy
Fri., Aug. 4: Mackey Award/Rimington Trophy

Mon., Aug. 7: Biletnikoff Award
Tue., Aug. 8: Davey O’Brien Award
Wed., Aug. 9: Doak Walker Award
Thu., Aug. 10: Butkus Award/Paycom Jim Thorpe Award
Fri., Aug. 11: Walter Camp Award

Mon., Aug. 14: Bednarik Award

For more information about the NCFAA and its award programs, visit the redesigned NCFAA.org or follow on Twitter at @NCFAA.

Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Important Dates

Thu., Aug. 10: Preseason Watch List Announced

Tue., Oct. 31: Semifinalists Announced

A screening committee consisting of OSHOF members monitors all defensive backs throughout the season, including watch list players, and narrows the field to up to 15 semifinalists.

Tue., Nov. 28: Finalists Announced

The three finalists are submitted to a national panel of over 250 sports writers, sportscasters, former players and coaches who vote to determine the winner of the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award.

Date TBD: Winner Announced on The Home Depot College Football Awards

The winner will be announced on ESPN’s live presentation of The Home Depot College Football Awards. Other recognized NCFAA awards announced include the Bednarik Award, Maxwell Award, Mackey Award, Rimington Trophy, Lou Groza Award, Ray Guy Award, Bronko Nagurski Award, Outland Trophy, Butkus Award, Lombardi Award, Biletnikoff Award, Davey O’Brien Award, Doak Walker Award, Walter Camp Award and others.

Tue., Feb. 6, 2024: Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Banquet Honoring the 2023 Winner
in Oklahoma City

The official presentation of the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award takes place in Oklahoma City, following The Home Depot College Football Awards. The current winner and all former winners are invited each year to celebrate. Over 600 supporters attend the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Banquet each year, including many celebrities and dignitaries.

For more information on the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award and past award recipients, please visit www.oklahomasportshalloffame.org.

-Via Clemson Athletic Communications

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Notre Dame players named to preseason award watch lists

Will anyone win this year?

It’s the time of year when we start seeing award watch lists come out in anticipation of the college football season. With Notre Dame expected to be highly ranked once again, there are plenty of players who are ripe for watching. Whether or not any of them actually take home any of this hardware is anyone’s guess right now, but they’re at least on the radar of those who know college football best.

In some cases, more than one Notre Dame player is on the watch list for the same award. Also, as different award watch lists come on different days, it can be difficult to keep track of them all. Rest assured, we will be doing just that as these lists continue to come out.

At season’s end, we’ll find out if any of them or maybe somebody different becomes the first national award winner for the Irish since [autotag]Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah[/autotag] won the Butkus Award in 2020:

Jordan Battle named to Jim Thorpe Award Watch List

Jordan Battle named to the Jim Thorpe Award watch list!

Jordan Battle is one of the best defensive players in college football, regardless of his position. Getting Battle to return to Tuscaloosa came as a surprise to many, but the Crimson Tide faithful won’t complain about it.

Battle has been placed on the preseason watch list for the Jim Thorpe Award which goes to the country’s most outstanding defensive back. In three years with the Tide, Battle has accumulated 181 tackles five interceptions and three defensive touchdowns.

Battle will surely hear his name called early in the 2023 NFL draft, so we might as well appreciate him while we can.

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Catalon named to Thorpe Award watchlist

Another Razorback has been named to a preseason watchlist.

Another day, another Razorback is named to a watchlist.

This time, defensive back [autotag]Jalen Catalon[/autotag] earns a spot on another preseason watchlist, this time for the Jim Thorpe Award, an award given to the top defensive back in the country at the end of the season.

The honor goes along with Catalon’s other preseason accolades, which include the first-team All-SEC preseason team, and first-team preseason All-American team by Phil Steele.

Catalon got off to a great start in 2021 before suffering an injury during the sixth game of the season against Ole Miss that would eventually sideline him for the rest of the season. Prior to the injury, Catalon made 46 stops with six pass deflections and two interceptions.

In two seasons three seasons at Arkansas, Catalon has recorded 151 total tackles, which includes the impressive 99 stops he made during the pandemic-shortened season in 2020, which Arkansas only played ten games.

Catalon was one of 50 players selected to the Jim Thorpe Award watchlist. The award selection committee will release their top-three selections on the Monday before Thanksgiving.

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247Sports predicts multiple Notre Dame stars will be contending for major awards

Several member of the Irish could be taking home hardware after this fall

Not only have the preseason All-American teams being dropped, it now time to turn to who could be bringing home the individual hardware in December. With the Irish having multiple players who are being named to said All-American teams, it makes sense to see them pop up on these type of lists as well. Find out below with Irish stars that Will Backus of 247Sports believes will either win a national award or be in contention for.

Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Mike on Twitter: @MikeFChen

Alabama lands a few more on preseason watch lists

Alabama has a few more playing landing on preseason watch lists!

The preseason watch lists continue to be released and Alabama continues to be represented.

It was announced earlier today that redshirt senior Christopher Allen, sophomore Will Anderson, and junior Christian Harris have been named to the Butkus Award Preseason Watch List. The Butkus Award is given to the best linebacker in the country. Allen and Anderson make up what could be the best outside linebacker duo in the country. Harris looks to add to what is a legendary inside linebacker legacy at Alabama.

It was also announced that junior Jordan Battle and senior Josh Jobe were named to the Thorpe Award Preseason Watch List. The Thorpe Award is given to the nation’s best defensive back. Battle looks to be a leader in the back end of the Alabama defense this season. Jobe will have the responsibility of being a lockdown corner that has been a staple of the Nick Saban defense.

Stay connected to Roll Tide Wire for all the latest on the Crimson Tide!

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Florida’s star defensive back named to Thorpe Award watch list

Kaiir Elam continues to add preseason accolades to his repertoire.

The preseason accolades continue to pile up for star Gators cornerback Kaiir Elam. After being named to the watch list for the Chuck Bednarik Award, which is given to college football’s top defensive player, Elam was also named to the watch list for the Jim Thorpe Award for the best defensive back in the nation.

Elam finished as a semifinalist for the Thorpe Award last season, and he’s one of 40 players named to the preseason list this time around. So far, he’s the only Florida player named to a preseason watch list.

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Elam has high expectations coming off his first season as a full-time starter. He saw sporadic starting action as a true freshman due to injuries to C.J. Henderson, and in 2020, he was arguably UF’s best defensive player.

He started every game, notching 39 tackles and 11 pass breakups (which led the team) in the process. He also tied for first on the team with two interceptions.

Florida’s secondary struggled as a whole last season, but Elam was one of the few bright spots. Heading into 2021, he’s expected to be a leader for the Gators defense that desperately needs to improve following offensive turnover after 2020.

The winner of the award will be announced in December at The Home Depot College Football Awards Show.

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