Adoree' Jackson Named Thorpe Award Finalist
November 21, 2016 | Football
USC junior cornerback-wide receiver-returner Adoree' Jackson has been named one of three finalists for the Jim Thorpe Award, given to the top defensive back in college football by the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame.
The winner will be announced at the live Home Depot College Football Awards Show in Atlanta on Dec. 8 on ESPN and then will be honored at a banquet in Oklahoma City on Feb. 7, 2017, at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum.
Joining Jackson as Thorpe finalists are Michigan's Jourdan Lewis and LSU's Tre'Davious White.
All-American safety Mark Carrier is USC's only Thorpe Award winner when he was named in 1989. Two other Trojans have been finalists for the Thorpe Award: safeties Troy Polamalu in 2002 and Taylor Mays in 2008.
Jackson previously was named among 4 finalists for the 2016 Hornung Award (as the nation's most versatile player) and 10 semifinalists for the Lott IMPACT Trophy (as the best college defensive player who makes the biggest IMPACT on his team both on and off the field).
A 3-year starting cornerback and a 3-way performer, Jackson is among the nation's most exciting players. On defense in 2016, he leads USC in interceptions with 4 and pass breakups with 9, and has made 49 tackles with a pair of fumble recoveries. He often is matched against the opponent's top receiver; for instance, he limited Alabama's Calvin Ridley to 2 catches for 9 yards, Colorado's Shay Fields to 4 for 32 yards and Stanford's Michael Rector to a 3-yard reception. In USC's road upset at No. 4 Washington, he picked off Jake Browning twice.
A dangerous returner, he currently is fifth nationally in punt returns (14.8 average) and 10th in kickoff returns (28.3) and has a TD return in each category. And on offense this season, although not being used as often as previous years, he averages 9.2 yards on 4 rushes.
In his career, Jackson has 5 interceptions and scored 12 touchdowns in 4 different ways (1 interception, 5 receptions, 3 kickoff returns and 3 punt returns). He is USC's career kickoff return yardage recordholder and is eight on the school's punt return chart.
Also the 2015 and 2016 Pac-12 long jump champion, he twice finished fifth in the NCAA long jump.
