TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The preseason accolades continue to pile up for Florida State’s Jalen Ramsey as the junior defensive back was named to the Jim Thorpe Award Watch List as announced by the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame on Monday.
The Thorpe Award is one of the most coveted awards in college football. 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.
Ramsey has also exceled as a two-sport athlete at Florida State both on the football field and on the track during his first two years donning the Garnet and Gold.
On the football field, Ramsey established himself as one of the nation’s top defensive backs following his All-America season in 2014 where he set single-season career-highs for tackles (79), TFLs (9.5), pass break-ups, interceptions (2) and sacks (3.0). He ranked second in the ACC with 12 total PBUs and fifth in passes defended per game (1.00). Ramsey posted a career-high 12 tackles against Oklahoma State in the opening game of the 2014 season inside AT&T Stadium. In his first two seasons at Florida State, Ramsey has registered 128 tackles (82 solo) including 11.5 tackles for loss, while tallying 13 pass break-ups, four sacks and three interceptions.
On the track, Ramsey claimed the ACC long jump title at both the 2015 Outdoor and Indoor Championships. The Smyrna, Tenn., native won the conference outdoor title with a leap of 26-1.5 and also ran the lead-off leg on the ACC outdoor champion 4x100 relay (39.28). He finished 14th at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in the long jump after collecting All-America honors with a fourth-place finish at the NCAA Indoor Championships with a personal-best mark of 26-1.75.
Ramsey has also been named to the Bednarik Award Watch List (presented to the College Defensive Player of the Year) and Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List (presented to the nation’s top defensive back) in 2015.
The Jim Thorpe Award watch list is chosen by a screening committee who compile a list of 30-50 players. The list is not final, and players who have outstanding seasons are added as the season progresses. The Thorpe Award Winner is selected from three finalists and will be announced at The Home Depot College Football Awards on Thursday, December 10, 2015 on ESPN.
The Jim Thorpe Award Banquet will be held on Tuesday, February 2, 2016 in Oklahoma City, Okla.
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