STARKVILLE, Miss. — Mississippi State senior cornerback Kelley Jones has been named to the 2026 Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Preseason Watch List, the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame and Jim Thorpe Association announced Wednesday.
The award honors the nation’s top defensive backs based on on-field performance, athletic ability, and character. Jones, who earned All-SEC honors in 2025, is the Bulldogs’ leading secondary player heading into the upcoming season.
Jones also made the Bronko Nagurski Trophy Preseason Watch List and received preseason All-America honors from Pro Football Network (second team) and On3 (first team). The preseason watch list includes 35 top defensive backs from 10 conferences and one independent school. Players are selected based on previous NCAA Division I performance and preseason All-America lists.
The Jim Thorpe Award, established in 1986 and named after the legendary athlete, is part of the National College Football Awards Association. A committee monitors players throughout the season, with semifinalists announced Oct. 27 and finalists on Nov. 24. The winner will be revealed Dec. 11 on ESPN’s The Home Depot College Football Awards.
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