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AUSTIN, Texas – Texas football senior defensive back Jahday Barron has been named one of three finalists for the 2024 PAYCOM Jim Thorpe Award, the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame and Jim Thorpe Association announced Tuesday. Announced. This award is given annually to the most outstanding defensive back in college football based on performance on the field, athleticism, and character.
Barron is Texas’ first Thorp Award finalist since safety Deshon Elliott in 2017. Two Longhorns have won the Thorp Award, with safety Michael Huff (2005) and cornerback Aaron Ross (2006) winning the honor for the second year in a row. Overall, Barron is Texas’ sixth finalist for the Thorpe Award.
In addition to being named a Thorpe Award finalist, Barron is also a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, which is awarded annually to the nation’s top defensive player. The Austin, Texas native is also a Chuck Bednarik Award semifinalist. Following Texas’ 20-10 road victory over Arkansas on Nov. 16, Barron was named Thorpe Award Player of the Week, SEC Defensive Player of the Week, and Reese’s Senior Bowl Defensive Player of the Week. Selected as a player.
Barron, a fifth-year defensive back, has played in 52 career games, starting 34 of them. Prior to the 2024 season, he was named to the preseason defensive second team All-SEC and was named to the Bronco Nagursi Trophy and Bednarik Award preseason watch list. Barron is one of the most versatile defensive backs in the nation, consistently playing multiple positions in Texas’ defensive backfield while providing leadership as a fifth-year veteran. Through 11 games, Barron had 41 tackles (27 solo), 10 defensive stops, four interceptions (65 yards returned), five pass breakups, eight passes defensed, one fumble return, one sack, and one sack. Recorded two tackles for loss and two tackles for loss. The quarterback rushes. The Barons’ four interceptions rank 12th in the nation and lead the SEC. Barron’s 41 total tackles are the fifth-most by a UT defender this season, and he also leads the team in pass breakups.
With Barron leading the UT defense, Texas ranks second in the FBS in total defense (247.5 ypg), passing yards allowed (143.5 ypg), pass efficiency defense (93.51), pass interceptions (17) and first down defense (162). is ranked. They rank third in scoring defense (12.1 ppg) and lead the SEC in all of those categories. The Longhorns also rank 5th in the FBS in turnovers taken (24), 9th in third-down conversion defense (0.299), 11th in sacks (3.0) and 13th in tackles for loss (7.3). is ranked. Texas ranks third in the nation in defensive stop rate, stopping 80.5 percent of opposing drives this season. The Longhorns are the best in the country at preventing explosive plays of 20 yards or more (22) and 30 yards or more (seven). Barron is the guiding force behind a Texas secondary that has given up just four passing touchdowns this season, tied for the fewest in the FBS.
In his last appearance, Barron made three solo stops in the Longhorns’ 31-14 win over Kentucky on Nov. 23. He played an integral role in Texas’ defense, limiting Kentucky to just one of its 11 drives of more than 39 yards during the game. In this game, he gained 73 yards on a 42-yard pass play. Seven of their drives were under 20 yards. Barron helped Texas win 20-10 on the road at Arkansas on Nov. 16. The win sealed UT’s 10-game true road win streak. This is the longest active record in the FBS. In the win against the Razorbacks, Barron recorded seven tackles (six solo), including one sack and two tackles for loss, along with a tone-setting interception, one pass breakup, and one QB rush. Barron’s interception came just over five minutes into the game at the Texas 39-yard line, and the offense then scored the game’s first points with a touchdown to take a 7-0 lead, but the Longhorns were unable to do so. . Abandon the remaining games. On the very next series, Barron secured a tackle for loss on 3rd-and-3, resulting in a 3-and-out. Barron then sacked him on the final play of the first half with 19 seconds left, denying Arkansas a scoring opportunity from its own 38-yard line and ensuring Texas held a 10-0 lead heading into halftime. I made it. In a critical situation in the fourth quarter, Barron again interfered with the quarterback. With the Longhorns leading 13-7 and Arkansas closing in on the Texas 26’s red zone, Barron put pressure on an incomplete pass on 3rd-and-10 and made a field goal to tie the game at 13-10. I kept it. The Longhorns then increased their lead to 20-10 on their next offensive possession.
He had two tackles (one solo) and a pass breakup in Texas’ 49-17 win over Florida on Nov. 9. He recorded three tackles (two solo) and a pass breakup in a 27-24 win at No. 25/25 Vanderbilt on Oct. 26, and a pass breakup on Oct. 19 against Georgia. He recorded two interceptions, a career high. The senior defensive back also finished the game with four total tackles (two solo). Barron became the first Longhorn with two interceptions in a game since DeSean Jamison accomplished the feat in 63 games against West Virginia on Oct. 5, 2019. Two of UT’s three interceptions against the Bulldogs were the most interceptions Texas recorded against teams ranked in the AP Top 5, compared to Oklahoma, where the Horns ranked second in 2002. It was the most since recording four times against state. On September 7th against No. 10/9 Michigan, he recorded four stops, one pass breakup, and one fumble recovery.
The other two finalists for the 2024 Jim Thorpe Award are Ohio State safety Caleb Downs and Georgia safety Malachi Starks. The winner will be chosen from among three finalists by the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award National Selection Committee. The selection committee includes the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame’s internal awards committee, former recipients of the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award, members of the NCFAA, sports writers and college football. Journalists all over the country. The 2024 PAYCOM Jim Thorpe Award winner will be announced during the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show on Thursday, Dec. 12.
This week, Barron and Texas will travel to College Station, Texas for the final regular season game against Texas A&M on Saturday, November 30th at 6:30pm CT on ABC. Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit and Holly Rowe make the calls. ESPN’s College Gameday, hosted by Rece Davis, Lee Corso, Desmond Howard, Pat McAfee, Nick Saban, Kirk Herbstreit and other ESPN personalities, airs Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. It will be broadcast live from the Texas A&M campus.
