OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. --- The Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame (OSHOF) and the Jim Thorpe Association released the prestigious Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Preseason Watch List, and Lobo safety Austin Brawley is one of 35 players to be named to the list. Overall, the list of 35 represents the nation’s best defensive backs, spanning 10 conferences and one independent university.
Brawley is UNM's first Thorpe Preseason Watch List player since Jerrick Reed II was named to the preseason list in 2021. The Seattle Seahawks eventually drafted Reed, and he is currently with the Tennessee Titans.
Brawley was one of two Mountain West players, along with defensive back Roger Jones, Jr. of Air Force, to be named to the list.
Last year, Brawley was a two-time Mountain West Defensive Player of the Week despite missing 10 weeks with a broken bone in his foot, and he earned a redshirt after only playing in four regular season games. Overall, he recorded 26 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, a sack, three pass breakups, and a team-leading three interceptions along with a forced fumble.
After getting injured against Michigan, he would miss the ensuing eight games and 10 weeks, but he returned with a monster game with three tackles, 1.5 for loss, and two second-half interceptions to earn Mountain West Defensive Player of the Week against Colorado State as UNM picked up its first win over the Rams since 2009. He finished the regular season by recording 10 tackles, including a sack that knocked San Diego State out of field goal range in the final minute of the game when it was 17-17. He also had an interception in overtime and a forced fumble in the first quarter, which UNM would eventually score on, earning him Mountain West Defensive Player of the Week honors again.
Brawley was one of two players in the FBS last year to play in single-digit games and record at least three interceptions, with Brawley doing it in just five games.
He joined a long list of Lobo players earning preseason honors from various awards. Jaxton Eck was named to the Nagurski, Lombardi, AFCA Good Works, and Wuerffel Trophy lists, Brian Booker was named to the Outland list, and Cade Keith was named to the Mackey Trophy list.