Ohio State safety Lathan Ransom was named a semifinalist on Oct. 24 for the Jim Thorpe Award, given annually to the top defensive back in college football.
Ransom’s stock has risen quickly throughout the season, becoming a consistent starter for the Buckeyes are swapping in for safety Josh Proctor against Notre Dame. Since then, he has started three games, including each of the last two against Michigan State and Iowa.
So far this season, Ransom is third on the team with 29 tackles, including seven against the Fighting Irish, and he also has a tackle for loss, a pass breakup and an interception, snared against the Spartans.
Ohio State safety Ronnie Hickman and cornerback Denzel Burke were both on the preseason watch list while Ransom was a midseason addition, and neither Burke nor Hickman joined Ransom on the updated list.
Ransom is joined on the list by Trevon Flowers (Tennessee), Emmanuel Forbes (Mississippi State), Erick Hallett II (Pitt), Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson (TCU), Antonio Johnson (Texas A&M), Clark Phillips III (Utah), Joey Porter Jr. (Penn State), Bentlee Sanders (Nevada), Christopher Smith (Georgia), Jason Taylor II (Oklahoma State) and Devon Witherspoon (Illinois).
Three finalists will be announced at a later date, and the winner will be revealed during the Home Depot College Football Awards on Dec. 8 on ESPN.
