Fifth-year University of Texas defensive back Jahdae Barron took home the 2024 PAYCOM Jim Thorpe Award on Thursday night. The award is presented each year to the top defensive back in college football, recognizing excellence in on-field performance, athletic prowess, and character.
Barron has become the third Longhorn to win the award, joining safety Michael Huff (2005) and cornerback Aaron Ross (2006), who won it in consecutive years. Barron was the program’s sixth finalist for the award. This season, Barron was also a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy. Texas now shares the record with LSU and Oklahoma for the most Thorpe Award winners, each with three.
Barron has established himself as one of the nation’s top defensive players this season. As a fifth-year defensive back, he has played in 54 career games with 36 starts. After Texas’ 20-10 road victory at Arkansas on Nov. 16, Barron was honored as the Thorpe Award’s National Player of the Week, the SEC’s Co-Defensive Player of the Week, and the Reese’s Senior Bowl’s Defensive Player of the Week. Before the 2024 season, he was named to the preseason second-team All-SEC on defense and was included on the preseason watch lists for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and Bednarik Award.
Barron is one of the most versatile defensive backs in the nation, consistently playing multiple positions in the Texas defensive backfield and providing leadership as a fifth-year veteran. Through 13 games, the Austin, Texas native leads the Longhorns in interceptions (5) and pass break-ups (9), along with 47 total tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack, one quarterback hurry, and one forced fumble. Barron leads the SEC and ranks third in the FBS in total interceptions this season.
