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OKLAHOMA CITY, December 13, 2024--(BUSINESS WIRE)--As the leader of the No. 1 pass defense team in the country, The University of Texas at Austin’s Jahdae Barron has been named the 2024 Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Winner. The announcement was made live tonight on The Home Depot College Football Awards on ESPN. Barron received the 2024 honor given to the top defensive back in college football based on performance on the field, athletic ability and character on behalf of the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame, Jim Thorpe Association and presenting sponsor Paycom.
Austin, Texas, native Jahdae Barron is the third Thorpe Award recipient from the Longhorns, joining back-to-back winners Michael Huff (2005) and Aaron Ross (2006). Opting to return as a fifth-year defensive back, Barron played four positions in the Longhorns backfield and donned the same No. 7 jersey as former winner Huff. This year’s honor makes Barron the first Longhorns recipient representing the Southeastern Conference in the award’s history, a distinction that comes the same year Texas joined the SEC in 2024.
Barron led the SEC in interceptions with four interceptions and 41 tackles in the 2024 regular season, which contributed to a Longhorns defense that ranked top in the country for preventing explosive plays. Longhorns Head Coach Steve Sarkisian praised Barron’s football IQ, versatility and ability to impact the game at any position, saying, "[Barron] being the most impactful player on that defense, I think, speaks volumes to his preparation, his work ethic, his drive but, ultimately, the player that he is."
In addition to the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award, Barron was a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and was named First Team All-SEC as a defensive back.
Barron commanded the voting, securing an impressive 65% of the first-place votes nationwide. This outcome was determined by the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award National Selection Committee, comprising of the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame in-house award committee, past recipients of the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award, members of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), and prominent sports writers and college football journalists from across the country.
Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame and Paycom will honor Barron at the 39th Annual Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Banquet as well as the 3rd Annual Aeneas Williams Award winner in Oklahoma City on Feb. 4, 2025.
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. For more information about the NCFAA and its award programs, visit the NCFAA.org or follow on X at @NCFAA.