COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State’s Denzel Burke is one of 15 semifinalists for the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award, which is presented annually to the top defensive back in the country.
Three finalists for the award will be announced on Tuesday, Nov. 28. The winner will then be unveiled on Friday, Dec. 8 as part of the Home Depot College Football Awards show on ESPN. The last Buckeye to take home the honor was CB Malcolm Jenkins in 2008. Four years ago, in 2019, CB Jeff Okudah was a finalist.
Burke, a junior from Phoenix, Ariz., is having an outstanding year and his play has helped the Ohio State defense to top 10 national rankings in pass defense (fifth – 160.3 yards allowed/game), total defense (fourth – 260.0 yards allowed/game), pass efficiency defense (first – 94.60) and scoring defense (10.0 points/game). Burke ranks 14th nationally in total passes defended (10) with nine PBUs and one interception. He’s fifth in passes defended per game (1.43). He leads the Big Ten in passes defended and a per-game average of 1.42 per.
Brenten “Inky” Jones is Ohio State’s Burlsworth Trophy nominee
A sophomore safety from Stubenville, Brenton “Inky” Jones was announcement on Wednesday as a nominee for the Burlsworth Trophy. The award is named in honor of Brandon Burlsworth, former University of Arkansas walk-on and All-American offensive lineman. It is given to the most outstanding player in the country who began his career as a walk-on.
Jones is a contributor on the Ohio State special teams unit – specially kickoff coverage – and is a key member of the scout team each week. He joined the football program in the summer of 2022 following his high school career at Stubenville where he played football, basketball and ran track.
Tyleik Williams Added to Chuck Bednarik Award Watch List
Junior defensive tackle Tyleik Williams, No. 1 on the among Ohio State defensive linemen with 33 tackles and an ESPN midseason All-American, has been added to the watch list of the Chuck Bednarik Award, the Maxwell Football Club announced today. Williams has been outstanding all season, registering a TFL in seven of eight games and leading the team with 8.0 TFLs, good for fifth in the Big Ten Conference.
Williams joins three other Buckeyes on the Bednarik watch list: CB Denzel Burke, LB Tommy Eichenberg and DE JT Tuimoloau.
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