Malcolm Jenkins (#2) last season's Jim Thorpe winner
The Jim Thorpe Award was first given out in 1986 to Baylor defensive back Thomas Everett. The award is given to the nation’s best defensive back. Past Thorpe Award winners include Bennie Blades, Deion Sanders, Charles Woodson, and Terrance Newman. Last year’s winner was Ohio State’s Malcolm Jenkins. Jenkins was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the first round as the 14th pick.
The following athletes are on this year’s Thorpe watchlist:
Javier Arenas, Alabama
Aaron Berry, Pittsburgh
Eric Berry, Tennessee
Ahmad Black, Florida
Morgan Burnett, Georgia Tech
Kendric Burey, North Carolina
Crezdon Butler, Clemson
Kam Chancellor, Virginia Tech
Chris Chandler, Clemson
Barry Church, Toledo
Kurt Coleman, Ohio State
Perrish Cox, Oklahoma State
Ras-I Dowling, Virginia
Van Eskridge, East Carolina
Dominique Franks, Oklahoma
Joe Haden, Florida
Duke Ihenacho, San Jose State
Reshad Jones, Georgia
Jordan Lake, Baylor
Myron Lewis, Vanderbilt
Trevard Lindley, Kentucky
Taylor Mays, USC
Amari Spievey, Iowa
Darrell Stuckey, Kansas
Earl Thomas, Texas
SydQuan Thompson, California
Walter Thurmond, Oregon
Alterraun Verner, UCLA
Stephan Virgil, Virginia Tech
Deunta Williams, North Carolina
Kyle Wilson, Boise State
