The Jim Thorpe Award is down to 15, and one of them is Caleb Downs.
Ohio State football’s Downs was named a semifinalist for the award. There were 14 other players, including Texas’ defensive back Jahdae Barron, that could win the award, which has been given to the top defensive back in college football since 1986. Trey Taylor of Air Force won the award in 2023.
2️⃣ is a 𝗦𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁 💯
@caleb_downs2 x @jimthorpeaward pic.twitter.com/kQ1mr5onDo— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) October 29, 2024
There have been Buckeyes to win the award, but one is going to have to go back almost two decades for the last one. Malcolm Jenkins won it in 2008, and Antoine Winfield was the first Ohio State player to win the award in 1998. Oklahoma has the most in the history of the award with three.
As for Downs, he had a conference-high 70 solo tackles last season with Alabama before transferring to Ohio State. The Buckeyes starting defensive back has had 31 combined tackles and three passes defended this season.
He’s set to play a large role in the Buckeyes matchup this Saturday with No. 3 Penn State. In these last several weeks of the season, with key games against conference foes, Downs can really start to shine with Ohio State.
