Georgia Bulldogs Star Shines as a Semifinalist for the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award. ATHENS, Ga. — Bulldog junior safety Malaki Starks has been named one of 15 semifinalists for the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award, which honors the best defensive back in the nation, as announced by the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame and the Jim Thorpe Association on Tuesday.
Starks, a native of Jefferson, Ga., is one of four players from the Southeastern Conference to receive this recognition and is now a two-time semifinalist, having been honored in 2023 as well. This marks the third consecutive year a Georgia player has been a semifinalist, following current Las Vegas Raider Christopher Smith’s selection in 2022.
This season, Starks leads the Bulldogs in tackles with 39, including three for loss, and has one of the team’s four interceptions. He has played both his usual safety position and the STAR role. In the recent victory over No. 1 Texas, he recorded seven tackles, including one for loss, while helping Georgia limit Texas to just 2-for-15 on third downs.
The No. 2 Bulldogs (6-1, 4-1 SEC) are set to face Florida (4-3, 2-2) in Jacksonville, Fla., on Saturday at 3:30 p.m., with the game being broadcast on ABC.
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