Akron's Brown & Ohio's Hagan Named To 2018 Jim Thorpe Award Watch List
Two MAC Students Named To 2018 Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Watch List
Oklahoma City — The Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame has released the 2018 Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Preseason Watchlist.
This list includes 35 of the nation’s best defensive backs, representing 10 conferences and independents. Representing the MAC are Akron senior safety Kyron Brown and Ohio junior safety Javon Hagan.
Brown, who was named the co-Defensive MVP overall and Defensive MVP in the weight room following spring drills, started all 14 games at corner for the Zips in 2017. He finished with 49 tackles, 2.0 TFL, two interceptions for 108 yards, a team-best 11 break-ups, and a fumble recovery. Brown was the recipient of the team's Harry "Doc" Smith Award and earned MAC Defensive Player of the Week accolades after his "pick six" in the win over Bowling Green.
Hagan started all 13 games for the Bobcats during the 2017 season en route to earning All-MAC Second Team honors. He registered 85 total tackles (45 solo, 40 assisted), averaging 6.5 tackles per game and posting 0.5 tackles for loss. He also added seven pass breakups. Hagan recorded one interception on Oct. 31 in a 45-28 win over Miami, then picked up a fumble recovery a week later in a 38-10 victory over Toledo. Hagan also set a career high with 14 tackles on Nov. 14 against Akron.
The Paycom Jim Thorpe Award annually recognizes the best defensive back in college football. The award is based on performance on the field, athletic ability and character. The preseason watch list is selected by a screening committee who compiles a list of 30-50 players. This list is not final, and players who have outstanding seasons are added as the season progresses.
The award recipient is selected by the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award National Selection Committee, which boasts members of the NCFAA, an Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame in-house award committee, former Paycom Jim Thorpe Award recipients, and sportswriters and college football journalists throughout the country.
The Paycom Jim Thorpe Award was established in 1986 and is named after the greatest all-around athlete in history, Jim Thorpe. As a native Oklahoman, Thorpe excelled not only as a running back, passer and kicker on the offensive side of the ball, but also stood out as a defensive back. In addition to his legendary performance on the football field, Thorpe played professional baseball and won Olympic gold medals in the decathlon and pentathlon.
Paycom Software, Inc. (“Paycom”) (NYSE:PAYC), a leading provider of comprehensive, cloud-based human capital management software, and the Jim Thorpe Museum and Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame (OSHOF) jointly announced in May 2017, an exclusive sponsorship of the Jim Thorpe Award. As such, the accolade is called the “Paycom Jim Thorpe Award.”
The 2018 Paycom Jim Thorpe Award winner is selected from three finalists and will be announced at The Home Depot College Football Awards Presented by Gildan on Thursday, December 6, 2018, on ESPN. The Paycom Jim Thorpe Award commemorative banquet will be held on Tuesday, February 5, 2018, in Oklahoma City.
The Paycom Jim Thorpe Award is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which encompasses college football’s most prestigious awards. Founded in 1997, the NCFAA, and its now 23 awards, boasts over 800 recipients dating back to 1935. Visit www.NCFAA.org to learn more about our story.
