Jahdae Barron named a Bronko Nagurski Trophy finalist

Texas Football senior defensive back Jahdae Barron was named one of four finalists for the 2024 Bronko Nagurski Trophy, the Football Writers Association of America and the Charlotte Touchdown Club announced Friday morning. The Nagurski Trophy is awarded annually to the nation’s top defensive player.

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Barron is Texas’ first Nagurski Trophy finalist since defensive tackle Malcom Brown in 2014 and the Longhorns last winner was defensive end Brian Orakpo in 2008. Barron, also a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award (nation’s top defensive back) is UT’s first defensive back to be a finalist for the honor that goes to the best defensive player in college football.

In addition to being honored as a finalist for the Nagurski Trophy and a semifinalist for the Thorpe Award and Chuck Bednarik Award, Barron was recognized as the Thorpe Award’s National Player of the Week, the SEC’s Co-Defensive Player of the Week and the Reese’s Senior Bowl’s Defensive Player of the Week on Nov. 18-19.

A fifth-year defensive back, Barron has played in 51 career games with 33 starts. Prior to the 2024 season, he was named preseason second-team All-SEC on defense and selected to the preseason watch lists for the Bronko Nagurksi Trophy and Bednarik Award. Barron is one of the most versatile defensive backs in the nation, consistently playing multiple positions in the Texas defensive backfield, while providing leadership as a fifth-year veteran. Barron has four interceptions, which rank seventh nationally and lead the SEC, while his 12 passes defended are 13th in the nation and second in the SEC. Barron’s 38 total tackles are the fifth-most by a UT defender this season while he leads the squad in interceptions and pass break-ups.

With Barron leading the UT defense, Texas tops the FBS in total defense (249.0 ypg) and passing yards allowed (136.7 ypg). The Longhorns also rank second nationally and lead the SEC in passing efficiency defense (91.19), and first down defense (148). Texas leads the SEC and ranks fourth in scoring defense (11.9 ppg), leads the SEC and ranks seventh in passes intercepted (15), are sixth in the nation in turnovers gained (22), and 13th in third-down conversion percentage defense (0.310). As a team, the defense limited Arkansas to 231 total yards, 149 passing yards and 82 rushing yards with the total yards and passing yards being their lowest outputs of the season, and the rushing yards the second lowest. The Razorbacks entered the game ranking fifth nationally in total offense (483.6), 11th in passing offense (292.3), and 32nd in rushing offense (191.2).

The Austin, Texas, product helped Texas secure a 20-10 road win at Arkansas on Nov. 16. The victory clinched UT’s 10th-straight true road win – the longest active streak in the FBS. In the win against the Razorbacks, Barron compiled seven tackles (six solo), including one sack and two tackles for loss, along with a tone-setting interception, one pass breakup and one QB hurry. Barron’s interception came a little over five minutes into the game at the Texas 39-yard line, and from there, the offense went on to score the first points of the game on a touchdown for a 7-0 lead, which the Longhorns would not relinquish the rest of the game. On the very next series, Barron secured a tackle for loss on a 3rd-and-3 to provide a three-and-out. Barron later posted a sack on the last play of the first half with 19 seconds remaining to ensure Arkansas would not have a scoring opportunity from their 38-yard line, and that Texas would maintain a 10-0 halftime lead. Barron disrupted the quarterback again in a critical situation in the fourth quarter. With the Longhorns leading, 13-7, and Arkansas close to the red zone on the Texas 26, Barron pressured an incomplete pass on 3rd-and-10 that forced a field goal to keep the game at 13-10. The Longhorns then extended their lead back to 20-10 on the next offensive possession.

In Texas’ 49-17 win vs. Florida on Nov. 9, he compiled two tackles (one solo) and a pass break-up. He logged three tackles (two solo) and a pass break-up in the 27-24 win at No. 25/25 Vanderbilt on Oct. 26. Barron finished with a career-high two interceptions vs. Georgia on Oct. 19. The senior defensive back also finished the game with four total tackles (two solo). Barron became the first Longhorn with two interceptions in a single game since D’Shawn Jamison accomplished the feat at West Virginia on Oct. 5, 2019 – a span of 63 games. Responsible for two of UT’s three interceptions vs. the Bulldogs, it was the most interceptions Texas has recorded against a team ranked inside the AP Top-5 since the Horns had four against No. 2 Oklahoma in 2002. In UT’s 31-12 win at No. 10/9 Michigan on Sept. 7, he logged four stops, one pass break-up and one fumble recovery.

Along with Barron, this year’s finalists for the Nagurski Trophy include Penn State defensive end Abdul Carter, Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham and South Carolina edge Kyle Kennard.

The Bronko Nagurski Trophy recipient will be chosen from these four finalists. The FWAA All-America Committee selects the national defensive player of the year who is part of the 2024 FWAA All-America Team and presented the trophy at the 30th Bronko Nagurski Awards Banqueton Dec. 9 in Charlotte, N.C.

Barron and Texas clash with Kentucky at 2:30 p.m. CT on Saturday, Nov. 23, inside Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. The game will broadcast on ABC with Joe Tessitore (play-by-play), Jesse Palmer (analyst) and Katie George (sideline) on the call.

(via Texas release)