Jim Thorpe award finalists 2023: Iowa's Cooper DeJean and Malaki Starks from Georgia emerge as potential suitors for coveted DB trophy

The 2023 Jim Thorpe Award finalists list is out to honor the top defensive back in college football. The list has three names on it, and all three have been the defensive backbones of their respective teams.

Iowa’s Cooper DeJean is one of the front runners. Malaki Starks from the Georgia football program is also in the running. So what is the complete list of finalists for this season’s Jim Thorpe Award?

Here is all you need to know about the award contenders and the history of the honor.

The Jim Thorpe Award finalists list of 2023

The 2023 Jim Thorpe Award finalists list includes Cooper DeJean of the Iowa Hawkeyes, Malaki Starks of the Georgia Bulldogs, and Trey Taylor of the Air Force Falcons.

Throughout the regular season, each of the defensive backs delivered solid performances for their respective teams.

DeJean has been a brick wall in the Hawkeyes' defense, raking up 26 solo tackles this season. He has also intercepted the ball twice and defended five passes. He will be next seen in the Big Ten championship game against the Michigan Wolverines.

Starks isn't much behind with 25 solo tackles and two interceptions. The Georgia DB has defended six passes in the 2023 regular season. He will next take on the Alabama Crimson Tide in the SEC championship game.

Trey Taylor has a whopping 39 solo tackles, three interceptions and four passes defended this season for the Falcons.

Who will be crowned the best defensive back in college football on February 6 next year?

What is the Jim Thorpe Award?

The Jim Thorpe Award is given to the finest defensive back in college football annually. It is named after Jim Thorpe, one of the most versatile athletes in history.

Thorpe played collegiate football for the Indiana Industrial School. He also played professional baseball with the New York Giants from 1913 to 1919. Thorpe was also a double gold medalist at the 1912 Stockholm Olympics.

The award has been sponsored by Paycom since 2017 and is known as the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award. It was first handed out in 1996 and has since been awarded annually by the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame.