Penn State CB Kalen King added to the Jim Thorpe Award Watch List

For Penn State football cornerback Kalen King expectations could not be higher headed into the 2023 season. What he did alongside Joey Porter Jr and filling in for JPJ when he was out with an injury last season was simply incredible. Now, he member of the AP All-Big Ten Second Team in 2022 and looks to build off of his most successful season during his Penn State career, as he was added to the Jim Thorpe Award Watch List earlier in the week.

Strappy Wave #WeAre | @KalenKing21__ pic.twitter.com/9MDrzOjTZa

— Penn State Football (@PennStateFball) August 11, 2023

Penn State CB Kalen King added to the Jim Thorpe Award Watch List

During the Penn State football media day defensive coordinator Manny Diaz said it best when speaking about Kalen King’s 2022 season he said, “You don’t get to carry over what you did from last season.” It’s so true, although King was dominant in 2022 he needs to hit the restart button on September 2nd to replicate or exceed his production from a season ago.

During the 2022 season, King collected 30 tackles, 8 pass breakups, and 3 interceptions. He led the Big Ten in passes defended and proved to be one of the best defensive backs in the country. Now, he is in a position to win one of the most prestigious awards in college football.

Jim Thorpe Award History

The Jim Thorpe Award is given to the top defensive back in the nation each college football season. Last year it was TCU DB Tre’Vius Hodges Tomlinson after he helped lead the Horned Frogs to their first-ever college football playoff trip. The award has been given out every year since the 1986 college football season.

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