Daylen Everette and KJ Bolden placed on Thorpe Award watch list

Georgia fans have come to expect elite play in the secondary, and two of the biggest reasons for that in 2025 are Daylen Everette and K.J. Bolden. Both have been named to the Jim Thorpe Award Watch List, which recognizes the top defensive back in all of college football. Only 35 defensive backs in the country are placed on the prestigious watchlist. For Dawg Nation, both Everette and Bolden making the cut is no surprise. These two aren’t just future NFL talents—they’re already key leaders on a defense that’s expected to be one of the best in the country this fall.

40 years of excellence. A new chapter begins. The 2025 @Paycom Jim Thorpe Award watch list is out — see which elite DBs are chasing greatness in this milestone season! pic.twitter.com/wjFlyaxQ7Z

— Paycom Jim Thorpe Award (@jimthorpeaward) July 30, 2025

Everette, now entering his third year in Athens, has grown into a lockdown corner in the truest sense. Last season, he delivered time and again in big moments, finishing the year with 58 tackles, three picks, a sack, and a pair of forced fumbles. His SEC Championship performance against Texas was legendary: two interceptions, a sack, and a forced fumble in what might’ve been his best game as a Bulldog. That earned him game MVP honors and helped Georgia secure another league title. He’s got the size, instincts, and swagger that Georgia fans love to see on the outside. His name showing up on the Thorpe list is more of a confirmation than a surprise.

Then there’s K.J. Bolden. Dawg fans knew from the moment he committed that he had star power, and his freshman season didn’t disappoint. He stepped into the starting lineup as a true freshman and made an instant impact, racking up 59 tackles, an interception, and a sack while patrolling the back end of the defense like a seasoned vet. Bolden plays fast, hits hard, and already carries himself like one of the vocal leaders on the team. His spot on the Thorpe Watch List this early in his career shows how much respect he’s earning nationally, and it’s only the beginning.

Georgia’s defense has long been known for producing big-time players in the secondary. DeAndre Baker, Richard LeCounte, Eric Stokes, Tyson Campbell, Lewis Cine, and Kamari Lassiter are all Dawg secondary members who have had national recognition in the past. Everette and Bolden are now carrying that torch in 2025. With both of them leading the charge, this year’s unit might be the deepest and most talented in recent memory. If you’re a Georgia fan, you’re used to seeing defensive backs on national award lists, but having two from the same secondary on the Thorpe list? That’s special. And it could be a sign that the best is yet to come.