Junior Maxwell Hairston has been named to the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Preseason Watch List, as announced by the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame and Jim Thorpe Association on Wednesday. The prestigious list features 42 of the nation’s top defensive backs.
The Paycom Jim Thorpe Award, established in 1986, honors the best defensive back in college football, taking into account performance, athletic ability, and character. Named after the legendary athlete Jim Thorpe, the award recognizes excellence in collegiate football. Thorpe was not only a standout defensive back but also excelled as a running back, passer, and kicker. In addition to his football achievements, Thorpe was a professional baseball player and an Olympic gold medalist in the decathlon and pentathlon. The award is considered one of the most esteemed honors in collegiate sports.
Hairston, a 6-foot-1, 186-pound junior from Detroit, had a standout 2023 season, recording five interceptions, including four in SEC play, ranking him fifth nationally in that category. His five interceptions tied for the fifth-most in a single season in Kentucky’s program history, a feat last achieved by Sam Maxwell in 2009. Hairston also accumulated 131 interception return yards, the most by a Wildcat since Greg Long’s 176 return yards in 1981.
A highlight of Hairston’s season was his performance against Vanderbilt, where he recorded two interceptions returned for touchdowns, tying an SEC single-game record. This achievement earned him National Defensive Player of the Week and National Defensive Back of the Week honors.
In addition to his five takeaways, Hairston ranked eighth in the SEC in passes defended in 2023, with 11. He is on track to graduate in December 2024 with a degree in community leadership and development.
The preseason watch list for the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award is compiled by a screening committee that selects up to 50 players based on previous NCAA Division I performances and preseason All-America lists. This list is not final; players can be added to the semifinalists and finalists lists as the season progresses.
Semifinalists for the award will be announced on Tuesday, Oct. 29.
Season tickets, mini-packs, and single-game tickets for Kentucky’s games against Southern Miss, South Carolina, Ohio, Vanderbilt, and Murray State are now on sale at ukfootballtix.com. Due to high demand, tickets for home games against Georgia, Auburn, and Louisville, which go on sale to the public on Friday, Aug. 9, at 9 a.m. ET, are expected to be extremely limited. Fans are encouraged to consider season ticket options to secure seats for these highly anticipated matchups.
