Denzel Burke and Caleb Downs have made another watch list.
Ohio State’s star cornerback and safety are both among the 42 preseason nominees for the Thorpe Award, which honors the nation’s best defensive back.
Ohio State is one of five schools with two defensive backs on the list along with Appalachian State (Ethan Johnson and Jordan Favors), Boise State (A’Marion McCoy and Seyi Oladipo), Georgia (Daylen Everette and Malaki Starks) and Notre Dame (Benjamin Morrison and Xavier Watts).
Burke, a semifinalist for the Thorpe Award last year, is up for the award again as the No. 1 cornerback for a secondary that’s expected to be the best in the country. Downs is considered by many to be the best safety in college football after a spectacular freshman season at Alabama in which he was a second-team All-American.
Downs and Burke are each now on preseason watch lists for three national defensive player awards as both of them are also on the watch lists for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and Lott IMPACT Trophy.
Ohio State’s other three starting defensive backs could all be considered snubs from the Thorpe Award watch list as they all return from a pass defense that led the nation with only 145.9 passing yards allowed per game in 2023. Lathan Ransom was a Jim Thorpe Award semifinalist in 2022, Davison Igbinosun is one of the best run-stopping cornerbacks in college football and Jordan Hancock proved last season that he can be a dynamic playmaker in the slot.
Together, Ohio State’s five starting defensive backs form an elite unit that should live up to its “Best in America” moniker in 2024.
Buckeyes on preseason awards watch lists
Maxwell Award
- Emeka Egbuka, wide receiver
- Quinshon Judkins, running back
- Will Howard, quarterback
Bronko Nagurski Trophy
- Caleb Downs, safety
- Tyleik Williams, defensive tackle
- JT Tuimoloau, defensive end
- Denzel Burke, cornerback
Outland Trophy
- Josh Fryar, offensive tackle
- Donovan Jackson, guard
- Tyleik Williams, defensive tackle
Jim Thorpe Award
- Denzel Burke, cornerback
- Caleb Downs, safety
Lott IMPACT Trophy
- Denzel Burke, cornerback
- Caleb Downs, safety
- JT Tuimoloau, defensive end
Dodd Trophy
- Ryan Day, head coach
