Texas Football senior defensive back Jahdae Barron was announced as the winner of the 2024 PAYCOM Jim Thorpe Award by the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame and Jim Thorpe Association on Thursday. The award is given annually to the top defensive back in college football based on on-field performance, athletic skill, and character.
Barron becomes the third Longhorn to receive the award, following safety Michael Huff (2005) and cornerback Aaron Ross (2006), who won it in consecutive years. Barron is the program’s sixth finalist for the honor. This season, Barron was also a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy. Texas now joins LSU and Oklahoma with three all-time Thorpe Award winners.
Barron has been among the nation’s top defensive players this season. The fifth-year senior has appeared in 54 career games with 36 starts. After Texas’ 20-10 road win at Arkansas on Nov. 16, Barron was named 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. He was also named preseason second-team All-SEC on defense and placed on the preseason watch lists for both the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and Bednarik Award. Barron is known for his versatility, regularly playing multiple positions in the Texas secondary, and for providing leadership as a fifth-year veteran. Through 13 games, the Austin native leads the Longhorns with 5 interceptions and 9 pass break-ups, along with 47 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 1 quarterback hurry, and 1 forced fumble. He leads the SEC and ranks third in the FBS in total interceptions.
Barron plays a key role in a Texas defense that leads the FBS in several categories, including turnovers gained (28) and passing yards allowed (143.1 ypg). Texas also ranks second in scoring defense (12.5 ppg) and team passing efficiency defense (95.19), while sitting third in interceptions (19) and total defense (249.5 ypg). The Horns are ranked fifth in first down defense (196), sixth in third-down conversion defense (30.6%), seventh in red zone defense (71.4%), 12th in tackles for loss (7.3 per game), and 15th in rushing defense (106.4 ypg). Texas has allowed only four passing touchdowns this season, the fewest in the FBS, matching the program’s record for the fewest passing touchdowns given up in a season (1972). The Longhorns shut out their opponents in the first half of three of their last four games to close the regular season—each against conference opponents.
Texas leads the nation in opponent passing yards per attempt, holding teams to just 5.10 yards per attempt. The Longhorns are also the only FBS team to restrict opponents to fewer than nine yards per completion (8.61). The team has forced at least one turnover in 21 consecutive games, including eight straight games with multiple turnovers.
Texas is set for its second straight College Football Playoff appearance, earning a No. 3 ranking in the CFP poll and a No. 5 seed. The Longhorns will host No. 13/13/16 Clemson on Dec. 21 at 3 p.m. CT at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in the CFP first round. The game will be broadcast on TNT with Dave Pasch (play-by-play), Dusty Dvoracek (color analyst), Taylor McGregor (reporter), and Laura Rutledge (reporter) providing coverage. The winner will advance to the CFP Quarterfinal at the 57th Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, facing Big 12 Champion and No. 4 seed Arizona State at noon CT on Jan. 1, 2025, in Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The game will be aired on ABC/ESPN.
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