Malaki Starks named 2023 Jim Thorpe Award semifinalist

UGA football defensive back Malaki Starks has been named a semifinalist for the 2023 Paycom Jim Thorpe Award, the Jim Thorpe Association and Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame (OSHOF) have announced.

The Jim Thorpe Award is an annual award presented “to the best defensive back in college football based on performance on the field, athletic ability, and character.”

Starks is one of 15 semifinalists for the annual Jim Thorpe Award. Three finalists will be announced at a later date, and the winner will be selected and announced at The Home Depot College Football Awards on Thursday, Dec. 7 live on ESPN.

Malaki Starks, who hails from Jefferson, Ga., has started at defensive back in all eight games this season. He is third on the team with 29 total tackles and has also recorded two interceptions.

The Bulldogs’ next game is on Saturday, Nov. 4 against the 14th-ranked Missouri Tigers at Dooley Field at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Ga. The game will be televised by CBS at 3:30pm ET (Buy Tickets).

2023 UGA Football Schedule

Watch List – Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Semifinalist

Awarded to the top defensive back in college football since 1986.#GoDawgs | @StarksMalaki pic.twitter.com/vufb0Cd255

— Georgia Football (@GeorgiaFootball) October 31, 2023

No tricks here, only the treat of revealing our #ThorpeAward Semifinalists 🏆👏 After 8 hard-fought weeks, congrats to our 15 best DBs in the country! pic.twitter.com/BaD7QZ8us5

— Paycom Jim Thorpe Award (@jimthorpeaward) October 31, 2023