Two Seminole defenders named to National Award Watch Lists

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida State redshirt junior Jammie Robinson is on the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Preseason Watch List and FSU redshirt junior Tatum Bethune is on the watch list for the Butkus Award, it was announced Monday.

Robinson earned first-team All-ACC and honorable mention All-America accolades last season after posting a team-high 85 tackles, including 7.0 for loss, four interceptions, three pass breakups and two forced fumbles. His interceptions total tied for the most in the ACC and for 14th nationally, and his tackles total was 10th in the ACC and second among the conference’s defensive backs. The Cordele, Georgia, native made a career-high 18 tackles, including a career-best 1.5 for loss, and one interception in last year’s season finale at Florida, becoming the only player in America with at least 16 tackles and one interception in the same game in 2021. Robinson has been named to multiple preseason All-America and All-ACC lists heading into the 2022 season.

Robinson, who played his first two seasons at South Carolina, has 221 tackles, 10.5 for loss, six interceptions, 11 pass breakups and three forced fumbles in 34 collegiate games played. He earned second-team Freshman All-America recognition and Freshman All-SEC acclaim in 2019.

The Jim Thorpe Award has been presented to the best defensive back in college football since 1986 and is named after Jim Thorpe, who was one of the world’s greatest all-around athletes. This year’s 15 semifinalists will be announced October 24, with three finalists selected the week of Thanksgiving and the winner unveiled at the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show on December 8. Florida State was the first program to have two Thorpe Award winners. Deion Sanders first brought the trophy back to Tallahassee in 1988, and Terrell Buckley earned the award in 1991.

Bethune joined the Seminoles in January after recording 185 tackles, 13.0 for loss with 4.5 sacks, three interceptions, two forced fumbles and five quarterback hurries in 35 games with 16 starts at UCF. He averaged 5.3 tackles per game in his three years in Orlando, helping the Knights to 25 wins and three bowl appearances.

Bethune was a second-team all-conference selection following his 2021 season which featured a team-high 108 tackles, 5.5 for loss with 2.0 sacks, two interceptions, one forced fumble and three quarterback hurries. The Miami native posted a career-high 18 tackles in the regular season finale against South Florida, and his average of 9.0 tackles per game ranked second in the conference.

The Butkus Award honors the nation’s best linebacker and has been presented since 1985. It is named for Hall of Fame linebacker Dick Butkus, and the 51 members of the preseason watch list match his ‘51’ jersey he wore for the Chicago Bears during his Hall of Fame career. Semifinalists for this year’s award will be announced Oct. 31 with finalists set to be revealed Nov. 21. The winner will be named on or before Dec. 7. Florida State was the first school with two different Butkus Award winners after Paul McGowan won FSU’s first in 1987 and Marvin Jones won the award in 1992.

*Press release courtesy of Florida State Athletics

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