Redshirt junior defensive back Shyheim Brown was named to the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Watch List Wednesday. The award is presented annually to the nation's best defensive back by the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame and Jim Thorpe Association.

Brown, from Lake City, has started 16 games with 92 tackles over three seasons at Florida State. He started all 14 games for the Seminoles in 2023, recording 53 tackles, 2.0 sacks, one interception, one fumble recovery and four pass breakups to earn third-team All-ACC recognition. Brown had a career-high eight tackles in wins at Florida and Clemson, he grabbed his first career interception in a home victory against No. 16 Duke and he recovered a fumble in FSU's 24-7 win at Pitt.

As a redshirt freshman in 2022, Brown's blocked extra point against LSU with no time remaining secured FSU's 24-23 victory over the Tigers. In the 2023 season opener vs. No. 5 LSU in Orlando, Brown had four tackles with 0.5 sack. Brown's sack came on 4^th-and-1 in the second quarter with LSU inside FSU's red zone.

Florida State has won the award twice previously, in 1988 (Deion Sanders) and 1991 (Terrell Buckley).

Semifinalists for the Thorpe Award will be announced Oct. 29, while the three finalists will be unveiled Nov. 26. The Thorpe Award winner will be named during the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show held on Dec. 12.

Florida State will open the season Aug. 24 in Dublin, Ireland, for the Aer Lingus College Football Classic against Georgia Tech.

Preseason Watch ListsThorpe Award – best defensive back – DB Shyheim BrownNagurski Trophy – best defensive player – DL Joshua FarmerOutland Trophy – best interior lineman – DL Joshua Farmer & OL Darius WashingtonMaxwell Award – best player – QB DJ Uiagalelei

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FSU DB Shyheim Brown is on Jim Thorpe Award Watch List