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Little Jr. Named to the 2026 Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Watch List

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Sports Signal overview · reporting by Official Athletic Site

Ohio State defensive back Caleb Little Jr. has been named to the 2026 Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Watch List, recognizing him as one of the top defensive backs in college football. Little Jr., a key player for the Buckeyes, enters the season with high expectations after a strong previous year.

Why this matters

Elevated signal on the board

For West Virginia Mountaineers fans, this is a reminder of the high level of competition in the Big 12 and nationally. While Little Jr. plays for a rival conference opponent, his recognition highlights the caliber of players WVU will face and underscores the importance of WVU's own defensive backs stepping up to compete at that level.

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Buckeye Signal surfaces and organizes third-party reporting. Full articles remain with Official Athletic Site. We score and cluster coverage so you can move faster — we do not replace the source.