The Jim Thorpe Award, named in memory of multi-sport legend Jim Thorpe, has been awarded to the top defensive back in college football since 1986. It is voted on by the Jim Thorpe Association, an Oklahoma based organization.

James Francis "Jim" Thorpe (Sac and Fox (Sauk): Wa-Tho-Huk, translated to "Bright Path") (May 28, 1888 – March 28, 1953) was an American athlete of mixed ancestry (Caucasian and Native American). Considered one of the most versatile athletes of modern sports, he won Olympic gold medals for the 1912 pentathlon and decathlon, played American football (collegiate and professional), and also played professional baseball and basketball. He lost his Olympic titles after it was found he was paid for playing two seasons of semi-professional baseball before competing in the Olympics, thus violating the amateurism rules. In 1983, 30 years after his death, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) restored his Olympic medals.

Of Native American and European American ancestry, Thorpe grew up in the Sac and Fox nation in Oklahoma. He played as part of several All-American Indian teams throughout his career, and "barnstormed" as a professional basketball player with a team composed entirely of American Indians.

James Eric Berry (born December 29, 1988), nicknamed "The Fifth Dimension," is an American football safety for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the University of Tennessee, and was a two-time unanimous All-American. The Kansas City Chiefs chose him with the fifth overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, and he was selected for the Pro Bowl following his rookie season.

Berry was born in Fairburn, Georgia. He attended Creekside High School in Fairburn, and was a standout athlete for the Creekside Seminoles track and football teams. In track, Berry was the anchor leg of the 2006 Class 4A state championship 4x400-meters relay team. Individually, he was the 2005 Class 4A state champion in the 200-meters run.

Berry played cornerback and quarterback, earning a 37-5 record as a starter at Creekside. He was teammates with Rokevious Watkins and Terrance Parks. Following his stellar high school career, Berry was invited to play in the 2007 U.S. Army All-American Bowl. Berry was considered the top player in Georgia and the top cornerback prospect by every recruiting service, and Rivals.com ranked him the #3 player in the nation.

Morris Lee Claiborne (born February 7, 1990) is an American football cornerback for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for Louisiana State University (LSU), and was recognized as an All-American. He was selected in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft, and was considered by many to be the best defensive prospect available in the draft.

Claiborne was born in Shreveport, Louisiana. He attended Fair Park High School in Shreveport, where he was a three-star recruit according to Rivals.com. He played quarterback, wide receiver and defensive back. As a senior he had over 2,000 all purpose yards and 30 touchdowns as a quarterback.

Claiborne attended Louisiana State University, where he played for coach Les Miles' LSU Tigers football team from 2009 to 2011. After spending his freshman season as a backup in 2009, he started 12 games in 2010 and recorded 37 tackles and a team leading five interceptions as a sophomore in 2010, and was named a second-team All-Southeastern Conference (SEC) selection.

Robert "Bob" Gibson (born November 9, 1935) is a retired American baseball pitcher who played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Cardinals (1959–1975). Nicknamed "Hoot" and "Gibby", Gibson tallied 251 wins, 3,117 strikeouts, and a 2.91 earned run average (ERA) during his career. A nine-time All-Star and two-time World Series champion, he won two Cy Young Awards and the 1968 National League (NL) Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award. In 1981, he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility.

Born in Omaha, Nebraska, Gibson overcame childhood illness to excel in youth sports, particularly basketball and baseball. After briefly playing under contract to both the basketball Harlem Globetrotters team and the St. Louis Cardinals organization, Gibson decided to only continue playing baseball professionally. Once becoming a full-time starting pitcher in July 1961, Gibson began experiencing an increasing level of success, earning his first All-Star appearance in 1962. Gibson won two of three games he pitched in the 1964 World Series, then won 20 games in season for the first time in 1965. Gibson also pitched three complete game victories in the 1967 World Series.