The annual college football awards were announced on Thursday and Texas Longhorns safety DeShon Elliott fell just short of winning the Jim Thorpe Award, as Alabama cornerback Minkah Fitzpatrick earned that honor over Elliott and Iowa cornerback Joshua Jackson
Awarded to the nation’s top defensive back, Elliott finished as a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award after blossoming into an NFL-caliber talent at safety under defensive coordinator Todd Orlando. In his first season as a full-time starter on the Forty Acres, Elliott recorded 63 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks, along with six interceptions and nine passes defended.