Jim Thorpe Award
Encyclopedia
The Jim Thorpe Award, named in memory of multi-sport legend Jim Thorpe
, has been awarded to the top defensive back in college football
since 1986. It is voted on by the Jim Thorpe Association
, an Oklahoma based organization.
Jim Thorpe
Jacobus Franciscus "Jim" Thorpe * Gerasimo and Whiteley. pg. 28 * americaslibrary.gov, accessed April 23, 2007. was an American athlete of mixed ancestry...
, has been awarded to the top defensive back in college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
since 1986. It is voted on by the Jim Thorpe Association
Jim Thorpe Association
The Jim Thorpe Association is based in Oklahoma and is named in memory of multi-sport legend Jim Thorpe.-Jim Thorpe Award:The organization has awarded the Jim Thorpe Award to the top defensive back in college football since 1986....
, an Oklahoma based organization.
Winners
| Year | Player | School |
|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Thomas Everett Thomas Everett Thomas Gregory Everett is a former American football safety in the National Football League.He played nine seasons for three teams . He attended Baylor University where he won the Jim Thorpe Award as the top defensive back in college football... |
Baylor Baylor University Baylor University is a private, Christian university located in Waco, Texas. Founded in 1845, Baylor is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.-History:... |
| 1987 (tie) | Bennie Blades Bennie Blades Horatio Benedict "Bennie" Blades Sr. is a former American football cornerback and safety in the National Football League. He played college football at the University of Miami.-University of Miami:... |
Miami (Fl) University of Miami The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12... |
| Rickey Dixon Rickey Dixon Rickey Dixon was a defensive back and special teams player for the Oklahoma Sooners and later the National Football League’s Cincinnati Bengals and Los Angeles Raiders.-College football career:... |
Oklahoma University of Oklahoma The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its... |
|
| 1988 | Deion Sanders Deion Sanders Deion Luwynn Sanders , nicknamed "Prime Time" and "Neon Deion", is a former National Football League cornerback and Major League Baseball outfielder who currently works as an NFL Network analyst... |
Florida State Florida State University The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation... |
| 1989 | Mark Carrier | USC University of Southern California The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university... |
| 1990 | Darryll Lewis Darryll Lewis Darryll Lamont Lewis is an American retired NFL player, who played as corner back.After going to high school at Nogales High School in La Puente, California, he graduated in 1991 from the University of Arizona and was then drafted by the Houston Oilers in the second round of that years NFL Draft... |
Arizona University of Arizona The University of Arizona is a land-grant and space-grant public institution of higher education and research located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The University of Arizona was the first university in the state of Arizona, founded in 1885... |
| 1991 | Terrell Buckley Terrell Buckley Douglas Terrell Buckley is a former American football cornerback in the National Football League.... |
Florida State Florida State University The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation... |
| 1992 | Deon Figures Deon Figures Deon Juniel Figures is a former professional American football cornerback in the NFL. He played four years for the Pittsburgh Steelers 1993 to 1996 and two for the Jacksonville Jaguars 1997 to 1998. While with Pittsburgh in 1994, he helped the Steelers reach the AFC Championship Game against the... |
Colorado University of Colorado at Boulder The University of Colorado Boulder is a public research university located in Boulder, Colorado... |
| 1993 | Antonio Langham Antonio Langham Collie Antonio Langham , is a former professional American football player who was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the first round of the 1994 NFL Draft. A 6'0", 187 lb cornerback from the University of Alabama, Langham played in seven NFL seasons from 1994-2000... |
Alabama University of Alabama The University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States.... |
| 1994 | Chris Hudson Chris Hudson Christopher Reshard Hudson is a former professional American football safety who played for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Chicago Bears, and Atlanta Falcons between 1995 and 2001. Hudson was the winner of the 1994 Jim Thorpe Award as a member of the Colorado Buffaloes.-References:... |
Colorado University of Colorado at Boulder The University of Colorado Boulder is a public research university located in Boulder, Colorado... |
| 1995 | Greg Meyers | Colorado State |
| 1996 | Lawrence Wright Lawrence Wright (American Football) Lawrence D. Wright, III is a former American college and professional football player who was a safety in the National Football League for two seasons during the 1990s... |
Florida University of Florida The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906... |
| 1997 | Charles Woodson Charles Woodson Charles C. Woodson is an American football cornerback for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League . He played college football at the University of Michigan for the Michigan Wolverines. In 1997, Woodson led the Wolverines to a national championship... |
Michigan University of Michigan The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan... |
| 1998 | Antoine Winfield Antoine Winfield Antoine Winfield is an American football cornerback in the NFL. He played college football at The Ohio State University, winning the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation's top defensive back in 1998. Winfield was selected by the Buffalo Bills in the first round of the 1999 NFL Draft. Since 2004, he... |
Ohio State |
| 1999 | Tyrone Carter Tyrone Carter Tyrone "Chowder" Carter is an American football defensive back who is currently a free agent in the National Football League... |
Minnesota |
| 2000 | Jamar Fletcher Jamar Fletcher Jamar Mondell Fletcher is an American football cornerback who is currently a free agent and lives in south Florida. He was drafted by the Miami Dolphins 26th overall in the 2001 NFL Draft. He played college football at Wisconsin... |
Wisconsin University of Wisconsin–Madison The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866... |
| 2001 | Roy Williams Roy Williams (safety) Roy Lee Williams is a retired American football safety. He played college football at Oklahoma before he was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys eighth overall in the 2002 NFL Draft. He spent seven seasons with the Cowboys and earned five straight Pro Bowl selections from 2003–2007... |
Oklahoma University of Oklahoma The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its... |
| 2002 | Terence Newman Terence Newman Terence Newman is a starting American football cornerback for the Dallas Cowboys in the National Football League. He played in the 2008 pro-bowl and has 32 interceptions in his career.... |
Kansas State Kansas State University Kansas State University, commonly shortened to K-State, is an institution of higher learning located in Manhattan, Kansas, in the United States... |
| 2003 | Derrick Strait Derrick Strait Derrick Strait is a professional American football cornerback who is currently a free agent. Strait was originally drafted by the New York Jets in the third round of the 2004 NFL Draft... |
Oklahoma University of Oklahoma The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its... |
| 2004 | Carlos Rogers | Auburn Auburn University Auburn University is a public university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 25,000 students and 1,200 faculty members, it is one of the largest universities in the state. Auburn was chartered on February 7, 1856, as the East Alabama Male College, a private liberal arts... |
| 2005 | Michael Huff Michael Huff Michael Wayne Huff II. is an American Football Free Safety for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League. He played collegiately as a CB/S for The University of Texas Longhorns.-High school career:... |
Texas University of Texas at Austin The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin... |
| 2006 | Aaron Ross | Texas University of Texas at Austin The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin... |
| 2007 | Antoine Cason Antoine Cason -San Diego Chargers:2008 seasonCason played in all 16 regular season games and both playoff games at cornerback and on special teams as a rookie for the 2008 AFC Western Division champion San Diego Chargers. His first NFL interception came on September 14, 2008, against the Denver Broncos, picking... |
Arizona University of Arizona The University of Arizona is a land-grant and space-grant public institution of higher education and research located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The University of Arizona was the first university in the state of Arizona, founded in 1885... |
| 2008 | Malcolm Jenkins Malcolm Jenkins -New Orleans Saints:Jenkins was the first cornerback to be taken by the Saints in the first round since Oregon's Alex Molden went at No. 11 in the 1996 NFL Draft. On August 9, 2009 the Saints agreed to terms with Jenkins on a five-year, $19 million contract.... |
Ohio State |
| 2009 | Eric Berry Eric Berry James Eric Berry , nicknamed "The Fifth Dimension" is an American football safety for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He was drafted 5th overall in the 2010 NFL Draft. He played college football at Tennessee.-High school career:Berry played at Creekside High School in... |
Tennessee University of Tennessee The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States... |
| 2010 | Patrick Peterson Patrick Peterson Patrick De'mon Peterson is an American football cornerback for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. He was drafted fifth overall by the Cardinals in the 2011 NFL Draft. He played college football at Louisiana State.... |
LSU Louisiana State University Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name... |