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The Jim Thorpe Award did not name Michigan safety Thomas Gordon to its 2013 preseason watch list Friday – the award presented to the nation’s best defensive back.
The redshirt senior started 13 games and recorded 81 tackles, one sack, and two interceptions in 2012.
Gordon, an underrated defensive back from Detroit (Cass Tech), has a shot to win the award despite not making the list, as award watch listers are not the only players eligible to win.
Michigan State seniors safety Isaiah Lewis and cornerback Darqueze Dennard were named to the list.
The award winner will be announced during the Home Depot College Football Awards on Dec. 12 on ESPN.
Gordon will also appear at Big Ten Media Days on July 24 and 25 alongside seniors Devin Gardner and Taylor Lewan.
Related: Gardner and Lewan were named to the Maxwell Award watch list Monday. … Devin Funchess was named to the John Mackey Award watch list Tuesday. … Brendan Gibbons was named to the Lou Groza Award watch list Wednesday. … Lewan was named to the Outland Trophy watch list Thursday.
Brandon Folsom can be contacted at bfolsom@mlive.com, and you can follow him on Twitter for additional information about college football, basketball, and recruiting.