Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame and Jim Thorpe Association Proudly Reveal the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award 2025 Preseason Watch List
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Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame and Jim Thorpe Association Proudly Reveal the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award 2025 Preseason Watch List
The Paycom Jim Thorpe Award is a member of the National College Football Awards Association. This list includes 35 of the nation’s best defensive backs, representing nine 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. The winner will be announced on the ESPN live presentation of The Home Depot College football Awards at 7 p.m. ET on Dec. 12, 2025. Over 600 supporters attend the PaycomJimThorpe Award Banquet each year, including many celebrities and dignitaries. The official presentation takes place in Oklahoma City, following the Home Depot college football awards, on Feb. 10, 2026. For more information, please visit www.oklahomasportshalloffame.org and www.jim Thorpeaward.org. The University of Texas has selected Jahdae Barron as the recipient of the 2025 Jim Thorp Award.
The Paycom Jim Thorpe Award is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which encompasses college football’s most prestigious awards. The NCFAA’s 25 awards have honored more than 950 recipients since 1935. Visit NCFAA.org for more information.
OKLAHOMA CITY, July 30, 2025 –( BUSINESS WIRE )–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 nine 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.
Story Continues
Mon., July 28: Maxwell Award
Tue., July 29: Outland Trophy/Bronko Nagurski Trophy
Wed., July 30: Paycom Jim Thorpe Award/Butkus Award
Thu., July 31: Paul Hornung Award/Allstate Wuerffel Trophy
Fri., Aug. 1: Lou Groza Award/Ray Guy Award
Mon., Aug. 4: Walter Camp Award
Tue., Aug. 5: Doak Walker Award
Wed., Aug. 6: Biletnikoff Award
Thu., Aug. 7: Davey O’Brien Award
Fri., Aug. 8: Mackey Award/Rimington Trophy
Mon., Aug. 11: Bednarik Award
Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Important Dates
Wed., July 30: Preseason Watch List Announced at 11 a.m. CT/noon ET
Tue., Oct. 28: Semifinalists Announced at 11 a.m. CT/noon ET
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. 25: Finalists Announced at 11 a.m. CT/noon ET
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.
Fri., Dec. 12: Winner Announced on The Home Depot College Football Awards
The winner will be announced on the ESPN live presentation of The Home Depot College Football Awards at 7 p.m. ET. 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. 10, 2026: Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Banquet Honoring the 2025 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.
2024 Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Winner
Jahdae Barron, The University of Texas
Jahdae Barron attended John B. Connally High School in Austin, Texas, where he starred on the football and track and field teams. He was selected First-Team 5-A 11 All-District as a defensive back his junior season and earned Second-Team 5A All-State his senior year. In addition to defensive back, Barron also played wide receiver and returned kickoffs and punts for Connally. He finished his senior season at Connally as one of the highest rated defensive backs in the country and attended The University of Texas following high school.
Barron appeared in five games for the Texas Longhorns as a freshman. Barron saw more playing time as a sophomore, appearing in nine games and making two starts during the 2021 season. He came into his own as a junior, playing in 13 games and making nine starts. He was named honorable mention All-Big 12 and finished 2022 with 78 tackles, one sack, two interceptions and led Texas with 11.5 tackles for loss. Barron continued his excellence on the field in 2023. He was named a Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Semifinalist and selected Second-Team All-Big 12. He finished 2023 with 61 tackles (32 solo), one interception and six pass breakups.
Barron became the best defensive back in the country in 2024, winning the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award. Barron started all 16 games for the Longhorns in 2024. He led the SEC and finished fourth in the country with five interceptions. Barron was named First-Team All-America by the Associated Press and First-Team All-SEC. In addition to the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award, Barron was a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and helped lead the Longhorns to a College Football Playoff (CFP) appearance. Barron had three solo tackles and two pass breakups in the opening round victory over Clemson. He was named the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl Defensive MVP in the Longhorns’ quarterfinal win against Arizona State as Texas advanced to the CFP Semifinals for a second straight season. Barron finished the 2024 season with 67 tackles, five interceptions, 11 pass breakups and one fumble recovery.
Jahdae Barron was selected by the Denver Broncos with the 20th overall pick in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
The Paycom Jim Thorpe Award is awarded to the best defensive back in college football based on performance on the field, athletic ability and character. The award was established in 1986 and is named after history’s greatest all-around athlete, Jim Thorpe. Thorpe excelled as a running back, passer and kicker on the offensive side of the ball, but also stood out as a defensive back. In addition to his legendary performance on the football field, Thorpe played professional baseball and won Olympic gold medals in the decathlon and pentathlon. The Paycom Jim Thorpe Award is universally accepted as one of the nation’s top collegiate sports honors.
Paycom Software, Inc. (NYSE: PAYC) (“Paycom”), a leading provider of comprehensive, cloud-based human capital management software, and the Jim Thorpe Museum and Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame jointly announced in May 2017 an exclusive sponsorship of the Jim Thorpe Award. As a result, the accolade has been named the “Paycom Jim Thorpe Award.”
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Contacts
Olivia James
Marketing Communications & Event Director
Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame
ojames@oksportshof.org
Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame and Jim Thorpe Association Proudly Reveal the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award 2024 Finalists
Jahdae Barron, Caleb Downs and Malaki Starks are the three defensive backs chosen as the 2024 finalists. The winner will be announced on the ESPN live presentation of The Home Depot College Football Awards. The Paycom Jim Thorpe Award is awarded to the best defensive back in college football based on performance on the field, athletic ability and character. Voting opens Tuesday, Nov. 26 at 6 p.m. EST and closes Friday, Dec. 6 at 6pm EST. For the seventh consecutive season, the PaycomJimThorpe.com will hold the official Finalists Fan Vote. The official presentation of the Pay com JimThorpe Award takes place in Oklahoma City on Feb. 4, 2025. For more information, visit oklahomasport.org or follow on X at @NCFAA or @paycomjimthorpeaward. The Jim Thor pe Award is universally accepted as one of the nation’s top collegiate sports honors and honors the greatest athlete of all time.
Texas’ Jahdae Barron, Ohio State’s Caleb Downs and Georgia’s Malaki Starks are the three defensive backs chosen as the 2024 finalists. This group of finalists represents two Power Five conferences in the Big Ten and SEC.
Jahdae Barron
University of Texas
Cornerback, Sr.
41 tackles (27 solo, 14 assisted), 10 defensive stops, 4 interceptions (65 yards), 5 pass breakups, 8 passes defended, 1 fumble return, 1 sack, 2 QB hurries
(started 11 games, 617 total snaps, 47 receiving targets)
Caleb Downs
The Ohio State University
Safety, So.
51 tackles (30 solo, 21 assisted), 6.5 TFLs, 19 defensive stops, 3 pass breakups, 3 passes defended, 1 sack, 2 QB hurries, 1 punt return touchdown
(started 11 games, 592 total snaps, 20 receiving targets)
Malaki Starks
University of Georgia
Safety, Jr.
55 tackles (35 solo, 20 assisted), 14 defensive stops, 1 interception (0 yards), 2 pass breakups, 2 passes defended, 2 QB hurries
(started 11 games, 672 total snaps, 36 receiving targets)
The award recipient is selected from the three finalists by the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award National Selection Committee, which boasts an Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame in-house award committee, former Paycom Jim Thorpe Award recipients, members of the NCFAA and sports writers and college football journalists throughout the country.
Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Finalists Fan Vote
For the seventh consecutive season, the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award will hold the official Finalists Fan Vote. Voting opens Tuesday, Nov. 26 at 6 p.m. EST and closes Friday, Dec. 6 at 6 p.m. EST. Voting is free to all participants. The winner of the fan vote will receive one vote toward the overall nationwide results. Use the link below to be directed to the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Finalists Fan Vote.
https://www.paycom.com/about/sponsorships/jim-thorpe-award/
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, 13 NCFAA awards will honor national players of the week each Tuesday. For more information about the NCFAA and its award programs, visit NCFAA.org or follow on X at @NCFAA.
Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Important Dates
Thu., Dec 12: Winner Announced on The Home Depot College Football Awards
The winner will be announced on the ESPN 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. 4, 2025: Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Banquet Honoring the 2024 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 oklahomasportshalloffame.org.
The Paycom Jim Thorpe Award is awarded to the best defensive back in college football based on performance on the field, athletic ability and character. The award was established in 1986 and is named after history’s greatest all-around athlete, Jim Thorpe. Thorpe excelled as a running back, passer and kicker on the offensive side of the ball, but also stood out as a defensive back. In addition to his legendary performance on the football field, Thorpe played professional baseball and won Olympic gold medals in the decathlon and pentathlon. The Paycom Jim Thorpe Award is universally accepted as one of the nation’s top collegiate sports honors.
Paycom Software, Inc. (NYSE: PAYC) (“Paycom”), a leading provider of comprehensive, cloud-based human capital management software, and the Jim Thorpe Museum and Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame jointly announced in May 2017 an exclusive sponsorship of the Jim Thorpe Award. As a result, the accolade has been named the “Paycom Jim Thorpe Award.”
Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame and Jim Thorpe Association Proudly Reveal the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award 2024 Semifinalists
The Paycom Jim Thorpe Award is awarded to the best defensive back in college football based on performance on the field, athletic ability and character. The award recipient is selected from the three finalists by a national panel of over 250 sports writers, sportscasters, former players and coaches. The winner will be announced on the ESPN live presentation of The Home Depot College Football Awards on Tuesday, Nov. 26. Over 600 supporters attend the Paycom James Thorpe Awards Banquet each year, including many celebrities and dignitaries. The Paycom awards are the nation’s top sports honors for college football players and are presented by Paycom Software, a leading cloud-based cloud management software provider. The JimThorpe Award has been named an exclusive sponsorship of the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame in May 2017 as a result of a joint sponsorship with the Jim ThorPE Museum of Baseball and Athletics. The awards are presented at a banquet in Oklahoma City on Feb. 4, 2025, following the Home Depot college football awards.
Paycom Jim Thorpe Award 2024 Semifinalists
Jahdae Barron, Texas, Sr.
Jalen Catalon, UNLV, Sr.
Tacario Davis, Arizona, Jr.
Caleb Downs, Ohio State, So.
Nick Emmanwori, South Carolina, Jr.
Travis Hunter, Colorado, Jr.
Will Johnson, Michigan, Jr.
Rayuan Lane III, Navy, Sr.
Jermod McCoy, Tennessee, So.
Jabbar Muhammad, Oregon, Sr.
Xavier Scott, Illinois, Jr.
Terrence Spence, James Madison, Sr.
Malaki Starks, Georgia, Jr.
Xavier Watts, Notre Dame, Gr. Sr.
Nohl Williams, California, Sr.
The Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Committee will reconvene on the Sunday prior to Thanksgiving to select three award finalists. The award finalists will be announced as part of a special presentation by ESPN on Tuesday, Nov. 26.
The award recipient is selected from the three finalists by the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award National Selection Committee, which boasts an Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame in-house award committee, former Paycom Jim Thorpe Award recipients, members of the NCFAA and sports writers and college football journalists throughout the country.
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, 13 NCFAA awards will honor national players of the week each Tuesday. For more information about the NCFAA and its award programs, visit NCFAA.org or follow on X at @NCFAA.
Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Important Dates
Tue., Nov. 26: 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.
Thu., Dec 12: Winner Announced on The Home Depot College Football Awards
The winner will be announced on the ESPN 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. 4, 2025: Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Banquet Honoring the 2024 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 oklahomasportshalloffame.org.
The Paycom Jim Thorpe Award is awarded to the best defensive back in college football based on performance on the field, athletic ability and character. The award was established in 1986 and is named after history’s greatest all-around athlete, Jim Thorpe. Thorpe excelled as a running back, passer and kicker on the offensive side of the ball, but also stood out as a defensive back. In addition to his legendary performance on the football field, Thorpe played professional baseball and won Olympic gold medals in the decathlon and pentathlon. The Paycom Jim Thorpe Award is universally accepted as one of the nation’s top collegiate sports honors.
Paycom Software, Inc. (NYSE: PAYC) (“Paycom”), a leading provider of comprehensive, cloud-based human capital management software, and the Jim Thorpe Museum and Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame jointly announced in May 2017 an exclusive sponsorship of the Jim Thorpe Award. As a result, the accolade has been named the “Paycom Jim Thorpe Award.”
Source: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/oklahoma-sports-hall-fame-jim-160100917.html