Georgia senior safety Dominick Sanders has been named one of the 13 semifinalists for the 20 Paycom Jim Thorpe Award, given to the top defensive back in college football.
Sanders, a native of Tucker, Ga., is one of three players from the Southeastern Conference. The three Thorpe Award finalists will be named on November 20 and the winner will be announced at the live Home Depot College Football Awards Show on December 7 airing on ESPN.
During the second-ranked Bulldogs’ 8-0 start, Sanders has started every game and the last 26 in a row and has 16 tackles, including two tackles for loss. He also has a team-leading three interceptions in 2017, which is second in the SEC, and has returned those picks 46 yards. For his career, Sanders has collected 15 interceptions, which ranks third in school history and is one behind school record holders Bacarri Rambo and Jake Scott, and has a UGA record 342 interception return yards, which ranks fifth in SEC history.