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Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame and Jim Thorpe Association Proudly Reveal the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award 2026 Preseason Watch List

  • Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame & Jim Thorpe Association released the 2026 Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Preseason Watch List featuring 35 defensive backs from ten conferences & one independent university.
  • The screening committee selected the list based on NCAA Division I performance & preseason All-America lists, with potential additions to semifinalist & finalist lists as the season progresses.
  • 2025 winner Caleb Downs, a No. 1 draft pick by the Dallas Cowboys, previously led Ohio State's defense & joined Malcolm Jenkins & Antoine Winfield as Buckeye recipients.
  • The watch list includes players such as KJ Bolden (Georgia), Zabien Brown (Alabama), Jyaire Hill (Michigan), & Leonard Moore (Notre Dame), categorized alphabetically by last name.
  • Conference representation on the list includes SEC (6), Big Ten (5), CUSA (4), Sun Belt (4), AAC (3), ACC (3), Big 12 (3), Pac-12 (3), MW (2), MAC (1), & Independent (1).
  • The award honors the best defensive back in college football & is named after Jim Thorpe, an Olympic gold medalist & multi-sport legend who excelled as a running back, passer, kicker, & defensive back.
  • The award is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which coordinates preseason watch list announcements across 16 awards over a three-week period.
  • Key 2026 dates include the semifinalist announcement on Oct. 27, finalist announcement on Nov. 24, & winner announcement on Dec. 11 during The Home Depot College Football Awards.
  • The 2026 winner will be honored at the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Banquet in Oklahoma City on Feb. 9, 2027.
  • Paycom Software, Inc. has been the exclusive sponsor of the award since May 2017.