Inside The Panthers

Pitt Football S Brandon Hill Makes Thorpe Award Watch List

A starting safety for the Pitt Panthers is expected to be one of the best defensive backs in America this season.

Stephen Thompson

Pitt Football S Brandon Hill Makes Thorpe Award Watch List
Pitt Football S Brandon Hill Makes Thorpe Award Watch List /
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PITTSBURGH -- Preseason accolades continue to roll in for the Pitt Panthers and safety Brandon Hill is the latest honoree. Hill landed on the Jim Thorpe Award watch list on Monday morning following a standout junior campaign. The Thorpe Award is given by the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame annually to the best defensive back in college football.

Hill was tied linebacker John Petrishen for second on the team in tackles with 71 a season ago. He added a pair of interceptions and five passes defended on the way to second team All-ACC honors. 

Hill was named a semifinalist for the Thorpe Award in 2021. He is expected to anchor at Pitt defense that returns three of four starters from it's 2021 ACC Championship-winning squad.

35 players in total made the watch list, with four coming from the ACC. The field will be cut down to 15 semifinalists in October. Three finalists will be chosen the Monday before Thanksgiving and the winner will be announced in December.  

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Stephen Thompson
STEPHEN THOMPSON

Stephen Thompson graduated with a bachelor's degree in communications and political science from Pitt in April 2022 after spending four years as a sports writer and editor at The Pitt News, the University of Pittsburgh's independent, student-run newspaper.  He primarily worked the Pitt men's basketball beat, and filled in on coverage of football, volleyball, softball, gymnastics and lacrosse, in addition to other sports as needed. His work at The Pitt News has won awards from the Pennsylvania News Media Association and Associated College Press.  During the spring and summer of 2021, Stephen interned for Pittsburgh Sports Now, covering baseball in western Pennsylvania. Hailing from Washington D.C., family ties have cultivated a love of Boston's professional teams and Pitt athletics, and a fascination with sports in general.  You can reach Stephen by email at stephenethompson00@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter. Read his latest work:

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