Texas senior defensive back Jelani McDonald was named to the preseason watch list for the 2026 Jim Thorpe Award, the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame and Jim Thorpe Association announced Wednesday.
The Thorpe Award goes to the top defensive back in college football, recognizing on-field performance, athletic ability, and character. It is McDonald’s first appearance on the watch list.
The Waco native enters his fourth year having played 39 career games with 17 starts. As a junior in 2025 he started all 13 games and led Texas with 80 tackles (49 solo) and three interceptions, adding 4.0 tackles for loss, three pass breakups, one quarterback hurry, and one fumble recovery. He is also a preseason All-SEC Third Team selection.
Texas continues a strong recent run at the award. Former Longhorn Jahdae Barron won the Thorpe in 2024 — the program’s third winner after Michael Huff (2005) and Aaron Ross (2006). Texas is tied with LSU and Oklahoma for the most Thorpe winners all-time (three). Last season, Michael Taaffe reached the semifinalist stage.
2025 snapshot
McDonald’s junior tape included a fumble recovery against San Jose State, interceptions against UTEP, Sam Houston, and Arkansas, eight-tackle games against Florida and Oklahoma, nine solo tackles with 2.0 TFLs at Kentucky, a career-high 14 tackles at Mississippi State, nine tackles in the win over No. 3 Texas A&M, and seven tackles in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl against Michigan.
Award timeline
Semifinalists are scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 27; three finalists on Tuesday, Nov. 24; and the 2026 winner during the Home Depot College Football Awards on ESPN on Dec. 11.
Texas opens the season against Texas State on Saturday, Sept. 5, at 2:30 p.m. CT at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium (ESPN).
Source: University of Texas Athletics, Aug. 12, 2026.
