Elijah Green Named Semifinalist for Paycom Jim Thorpe Award

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame (OSHOF) and the Jim Thorpe Association announced the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award semifinalists, and sophomore Elijah Green was named one of the 15 semifinalists.

This list includes 15 of the nation's best defensive backs, representing seven conferences and one independent university. The semifinalists are selected by a screening committee that compiles a list of up to 15 players based on performance on the field, athletic ability, and character.

This season, Green leads the nation in interceptions with five. He is one of two players in the country to have five interceptions. The five interceptions lead the team and the American Conference.

He set a career-high with two interceptions in a single game twice this season, once against Navy and again against Memphis. Along with the interceptions, Green has six pass breakups on the season. He is the first TU player to have five or more interceptions in a single season since 2013, when Shawn Jackson had five.

Besides the takeaways, Green has been a tackling machine, ranking fifth on the team with 42 tackles this season. He set a career-high with 10 tackles against Tulane on Sept. 27.

The 2025 Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Semifinalists are:
Mansoor Delane, Cornerback, LSU, Sr.
Caleb Downs, Safety, Ohio State, Jr.
Bishop Fitzgerald, Safety, USC, Sr.
Elijah Green, Cornerback, Tulsa, So.
Colton Hood, Cornerback, Tennessee, So.
Chris Johnson, Cornerback, San Diego State, Sr.
Jamel Johnson, Safety, TCU, Jr.
Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Safety, Toledo, Sr.
Leonard Moore, Cornerback, Notre Dame, So.
Antwan Peek Jr., Safety, Cincinnati, Jr.
D'Angelo Ponds, Cornerback, Indiana, Jr.
Keionte Scott, Cornerback, Miami, Sr.
Michael Taaffe, Safety, Texas, Sr.
Avieon Terrell, Cornerback, Clemson, Jr.
Dillon Thieneman, Safety, Oregon, Jr.

This list is not final, and unlisted players who continue to perform well as the season progresses may be recognized as one of the three finalists.

Visit www.TulsaHurricane.com for the latest news and information on the football program. Fans can also follow the program on social media by searching 'TulsaFootball' on X, Facebook and Instagram.

Elijah Green Named Semifinalist for Paycom Jim Thorpe Award

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