Bowling Green cornerback Jordan Oladokun has been named to the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Preseason Watch List, as announced by the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame and the Jim Thorpe Association.
The Jim Thorpe Award is given annually to the best defensive back in college football based on performance on the field, athletic ability and character. Oladokun is one of three MAC players on the list, which includes Toledo’s Maxen Hook and Central Michigan’s Donte Kent.
Oladokun (Sr., Tampa, Fla.) was a second-team All-MAC honoree in 2023 and a Hero Sports Group of Five first-team All-American.
Oladokun is one of eight FBS players returning in 2024 who finished the 2023 season with four-plus interceptions, 30-plus tackles, over six pass breakups, and at least one pick-six. Oladokun is also a nominee for the AllState AFCA Good Works Team.
The Watch List includes 42 of the nation’s best defensive backs, representing nine conferences and one independent university.
The preseason watch list is selected by a screening committee whose members compile a list of up to 50 players based on previous performance in NCAA Division I college football and preseason All-America lists. This list is not final, and players who have outstanding seasons may be added to the semifinalists and finalists lists as the season progresses.
On Oct. 29 there will be 15 semifinalists announced, which will be followed by an announcement of three finalists on Nov. 26. The winner will be announced on Dec. 12 at the Home Depot College Football Awards.
The Paycom Jim Thorpe Award is awarded to the best defensive back in college football based on performance on the field, athletic ability and character. The award was established in 1986 and is named after history’s greatest all-around athlete, Jim Thorpe.
Thorpe excelled 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. The Paycom Jim Thorpe Award is universally accepted as one of the nation’s top collegiate sports honors.
