Miami Hurricanes DBs Jackson and Johnson on Thorpe Award watch list

Miami Hurricanes Seniors, safety Jaquan Johnson and cornerback Michael Jackson have been named to the watch list for the Thrope Award. The Thorpe Award honors the best defensive back in College Football.

The Thorpe Award is the second watch list for the 2018 season for Johnson and first for Jackson. Johnson was previously named to the watch list for the Bednarik Award. The Bednarik Award honors the best defensive player in College Football. Both Miami Hurricanes defensive backs have received several mentions this preseason.

Both players were named preseason All-Americans by UPI. In addition to the above-mentioned honors, Johnson was named the nation’s eighth-best player by Sports Illustrated, first-team All-ACC by Athlon Sports and the third best safety in the country by the College Football News.

Some of Jackson honors heading into 2018 are being named All-ACC second-team by Athlon and the sixth-best cornerback in the country by CFN. Jackson emerged as a Junior last season. He played primarily on special teams before starting ten games in 2017. Jackson returned a fumble for a touchdown in 2016 at Notre Dame.

Johnson was the Miami Hurricanes Most Valuable Player in 2017. He led Miami with 54 solo tackles, 42 assists and 96 total tackles and three forced fumbles. Johnson also tied for the team lead with four interceptions, one interception return for a touchdown and two fumble recoveries.

He followed up the stellar performance against the Orange with six tackles in back to back weeks against North Carolina and Virginia Tech. The six tackles are Jackson’s career highs.

Johnson’s decision to return for his Senior season is a boost to the entire Miami Hurricanes defense. It will help Jackson tremendously in coverage.

Jackson and Johnson are on the watch list with 33 other defensive backs as the potential honoree of the Thorpe Award. The Thorpe Award is rewarded by the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame and Paycom. It is given in honor of Jim Thorpe who many consider being the first football superstar.

According to the National Football Awards Association, Thorpe was “a first-team Walter Camp All-America selection in 1911 and ’12.” Thorpe also competed in four events at the 1912 Summer Olympics. He won Gold Medals in the Decathlon and Pentathlon. He set a then world record in the Decathlon.

Shockingly, Bennie Blades is the only Miami Hurricanes player to have ever won the Thorpe Award. He was honored in the third year of the award’s existence in 1987. Ed Reed was beaten out by Roy Williams of Oklahoma in 2001. Two years later Sean Taylor was beaten out by the Sooners Derrick Strait.

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The Awards Watch lists are an important step on the Miami Hurricanes re-ascension to the elite of College Football. Going out and winning some awards would help too. With Jackson and Johnson both on the watch list for the Thorpe, it could be tough to either of them to win.