By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst
October 24, 2022
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Devon Witherspoon is one giant step closer to doing something no player at the University of Illinois has ever achieved.
The fourth-year junior cornerback was named one of 12 semifinalists for the Jim Thorpe Award on Monday by the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame and the Jim Thorpe Association. The Jim Thorpe Award has been awarded annually to the best defensive back in college football since 1986 and no Illini player has taken home this trophy since the establishment of the honor.
“To have that small of a list right now is actually you know, pretty, pretty big accomplishment for a guy that I think preseason probably didn't have a lot of preseason hype, based off the work and production and the way we're playing, it's another great indicator of a lot of good things going on in our building,” Illinois head coach Bret Bielema said Monday.
In order to win the award, Witherspoon would likely need to be the first first-team All-America selections at cornerback since George Donnely in 1964. Kerby Joseph, who was selected in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft by Detroit, was a second-team All-America selection by Pro Football Focus but before Joseph, the last second-team All-America selection from an Illini defensive backfield was Vontae Davis as a third-team All-America selection by Pro Football Weekly.
While No. 17 Illinois (6-1, 3-1 in Big Ten Conference) was in an open week last weekend, Witherspoon picked up midseason national honors by being named a midseason first-team All-America selection by PFF (1st Team) and a second-team selection by The Athletic (2nd Team). Pro Football Focus has Witherspoon, a 6-foot and 180-pound cornerback, as the highest graded cornerback in the nation this season after being tied for first nationally in forced incompletions with 13 and boasting a 31 percent reception percentage against, the No. 3 mark in the country and best in the Big Ten among cornerbacks.
“Spoon is one of those guys where his football IQ and awareness, I think is very, very high,” Bielema said earlier this season. “He’s going to tell you certain things and do certain things, but he really understands the game.”
Witherspoon is on the Senior Bowl preseason watch list and leads the nation in passes defended (12), while he and Jartavius Martin lead the nation in passes defended among teammates with 22 in the first seven weeks of this season.
Illinois will travel to Nebraska (3-4, 2-2 in Big Ten) for a 2:30 p.m. kickoff Saturday on ABC.
2022 Jim Thorpe Award Semifinalists
Trevon Flowers, Tennessee, Sr.
Emmanuel Forbes, Mississippi State, Jr.
Erick Hallett II, Pitt, Sr.
Tre'Vius Hodges-Tomlinson, TCU, Jr.
Antonio Johnson, Texas A&M, Jr.
Clark Phillips III, Utah, So.
Joey Porter, Jr., Penn State, Jr.
Lathan Ransom, Ohio State, Jr.
Bentlee Sanders, Nevada, Sr.
Christopher Smith, Georgia, Sr.
Jason Taylor II, Oklahoma State, Sr.
Devon Witherspoon, Illinois, Jr.
Opinions from the Outside Looking In at Illini Football #492
ListenIlliniGuys Top Fighting Illini PFs in our Lifetime, 4-Star 2027 QB Commit & Fantastic Four: First Steps Movie Review - #491
ListenB1G Media Days, Illini Hoops & More - S4Ep50 - 7.25.25
ListenIlliniGuys Top Fighting Illini SFs in our Lifetime - #490
ListenHeat Checks & Hail Marys – Luke Altmyer Poised to Soar Up All-Time Illini QB Rankings & Kofi Part II
ListenNBA Summer League, Illini Recruiting Update, SEC Media Days & More - S4Ep49 - 7.18.25
ListenI on the Illini - Fighting Illini Top 5 SGs & Superman Movie Review #489
ListenIllini in NBA Summer League, New Basketball Hire & Illini Football - S4Ep48 - 7.11.25
ListenI on the Illini - Fighting Illini Top 5 PGs #488
ListenBest of Interviews Episode - 7.4.25 - S4Ep47
ListenIllinois Athletics State of the Union Discussion - #487
ListenWhitman's Illini State of the Nation & the NBA Draft - 6.27.25 - S4Ep46
ListenZach Hamer Illini Asst BB Coach Talks KJ, Will & the NBA Draft - #486
ListenIllini FB Recruiting Update, If Illini FB was a Movie & NIL & NBA Draft "What If" #485
ListenIllini BB International Players & Cearah Parchment the newest IlliniGal - 6.20.25 - S4Ep45
Listen