Ohio State cornerback Denzel Burke was named on Tuesday to the midseason watch list for the Jim Thorpe Award, which is given to the best defensive back in the country.
Through eight games this season, Burke has been a lockdown corner for Ohio State, totaling nine tackles, a tackle for loss, an interception, a forced fumble and nine pass breakups, which is tied for 10th in the country. He has helped an Ohio State secondary that is limiting the opposition to just 160.3 passing yards per game, which is tied for fourth in the nation.
Burke and safety Lathan Ransom were on the preseason watch list, though only Burke retained his spot in the midseason update. Ohio State has two previous winners of the Thorpe Award, including Antoine Winfield in 1998 and Malcolm Jenkins in 2008.
Burke is on the watch list along with Air Force’s Trey Taylor, Alabama’s Kool-Aid McKinstry, Auburn’s Jaylin Simpson, BYU’s Jakob Robinson, Colorado’s Travis Hunter, Florida State’s Renardo Green, Georgia’s Malaki Starks, Iowa’s Cooper DeJean, Iowa State’s TJ Tampa, Louisiana Tech’s Willie Roberts, Missouri’s Kris Abrams-Draine, Notre Dame’s Benjamin Morrison, Texas’ Jahdae Barron and Utah’s Cole Bishop. Finalists will be announced on Nov. 28, with the winner revealed on Dec. 8.
