USC’s Chris Steele Named To Thorpe Award Watch List; Drake Jackson on Butkus Award Watch List

LOS ANGELES — USC junior cornerback Chris Steele has been named to the 2021 Watch List for the Jim Thorpe Award, presented to college football's best defensive back by the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame and Jim Thorpe Association, while outside linebacker Drake Jackson made the Watch List for the Butkus Award, presented to the nation's top collegiate linebacker by the Butkus Foundation.

Semifinalists for the Thorpe Award will be selected in October and three finalists will be named in November, with the winner announced on the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show on Dec. 9. Butkus Award semifinalists will be selected on Nov. 1, finalists on Nov. 22 and the winner on Dec. 7.

Steele, a 2-year starter, has 61 tackles and 9 deflections in his career. Last fall, he had 26 tackles, 4 deflections and an interception.

Jackson is one of the nation's most dominant pass rushers. He had 20 tackles last season, including 5.5 for losses (with a sack), and an interception. In his career, he had made 17 tackles for loss (with 7.5 sacks).