The 13 semi-finalists were recently named for the Jim Thorpe Award, which is annually awarded to college football’s best defensive back in the nation. The semifinalist list will be narrowed to three on November 24th and the winner will be announced on the ESPNU’s College Football Awards Show December 11th 2008. This is a fine list of defensive backs and you will probably see almost all of them playing in the NFL in the next few years. I am going to list (rank) them by NFL potential.1. Eric Berry, Sophomore, Tennessee
2. Malcolm Jenkins, Senior, Ohio State
3. Vontae Davis, Junior, Illinois
4. Alphonso Smith, Senior, Wake Forest
5. William Moore, Senior, Missouri
6. Taylor Mays, Junior, Southern California
7. Asher Allen, Junior, Georgia
8. Mike Mickens, Senior, Cincinnati
9. Trimane Goddard, Senior, North Carolina
10. Trevard Lindley, Junior, Kentucky
11. D.J. Moore, Junior, Vanderbilt
12. Otis Wiley, Senior, Michigan State
13. Emanuel Cook, Junior, South Carolina
Some notable exceptions (snubs) were:
1. Darius Butler, Senior, Connecticut
2. Patrick Chung, Senior, Oregon
3. Kevin Barnes, Senior, Maryland
4. Morgan Burnett, Sophomore, Georgia Tech
5. Kevin Ellison, Senior, USC
6. Nate Allen, Junior, USF
7. Myron Rolle, Florida State
8. Courtney Greene, Senior, Rutgers
9. Derek Pegues, Senior, Mississippi State
10. Rashad Johnson, Senior, Alabama
Last year's Jim Thorpe Award trophy went to Antoine Cason of Arizona.
FYI: Here is a list of the original defensive backs (minus the 13) that were initially on the pre-season 2008 Jim Thorpe Award Watch List: Nate Allen, South Florida; Antonio Baker, Louisiana Tech; David Bruton, Notre Dame; Joe Burnett, Univ. Central Florida; Jairus Byrd, Oregon; Chris Chancellor, Clemson; Kam Chancellor, Virginia Tech; Barry Church, Toledo; Patrick Chung, Oregon; Kevin Ellison, Southern California; Londen Fryar, W. Michigan; Courtney Greene, Rutgers; Michael Hamlin, Clemson; Nic Harris, Oklahoma; Victor Harris, Virginia Tech; Stephen Hodge, TCU; Brandon Hughes, Oregon State; Rashad Johnson, Alabama; Jordan Lake, Baylor; Captain Munnerlyn, South Carolina; Troy Nolan, Arizona State; Derek Pegues; Mississippi State; Tavious Polo, Florida Atlantic; Myron Rolle, Florida State; Corey Small, Florida Atlantic; DeAngelo Smith, Cincinnati; Walter Thurmond, Oregon; Chip Vaughn, Wake Forest; DeAndre Wright, New Mexico
2 comments:
How Rashad Johnson is not in the semi-finalists is beyond me.
Johnson's 162 tackles over the past two years ranks only behind Missouri's William Moore (186) and South Carolina's Emanuel Cook (171), yet his 29 passes defensed (interceptions plus breakups) and his 11 interceptions over that span are better than those two. Although Vanderbilt's D.J. Moore (12) is the only Thorpe semifinalist with more interceptions over the past two years, he has significantly fewer tackles in both 2007 and 2008 despite playing more plays than Johnson.
Hello???
Eric Berry has 12 picks, three pick six'es, the most int return yards in sec history, 158 TACKLES, and is only a sophmore. And plays offense.
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