MANSOOR DELANE IS A FINALIST FOR THE THORPE AWARD

Lonn Phillips Sullivan
1 day ago
2 min read

SUBSCRIBE HERE TO GAIN FURTHER ACCESS TO LSUODYSSEY

By LONN PHILLIPS SULLIVAN

As expected, LSU senior cornerback Mansoor Delane has been named a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award, given to the best defensive back in college football.

The 2025 DBU powerhouse cornerback is now the 5th Tiger to finish as a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award, joining Grant Delpit (2019), Morris Claiborne (2011), Tyrann Mathieu (2011), and Patrick Peterson (2010), with Delpit, Claiborne and Peterson winning the award.

Playing 556 Snaps over 10 games for LSU this season (only missing last week vs Western Kentucky), Delane, a first year Tiger transferring from Virginia Tech, arrived at LSU to raise his Draft stock and try to win a championship.

He achieved the first mission, the individual rise; Although the team goals fell by the wayside, if it was up to Delane's level of performance, the Tigers would be a grade A team (instead of a juggernaut defense completely held hostage by their historically poor offense).

Following just a single season at the real DBU, Delane became a certified 1st round pick, his boundless coverage skills and mirroring prowess stood among LSU's brightest spots of 2025.

Targeted 34 times, allowing just 13 catches, allowing 167 total yards, never surrendering a touchdown, intercepting 2 passes, breaking up 10, recording another 10 forced incompletions, never charged with a single penalty, while also used as a startlingly effective corner blitzing weapon (producing 4 QB pressures from 6 Blake Baker dialed up blitzes).

Delane is one of the highest rated Pro Football Focus defenders in America, clocking a 90.9 overall defensive rating alongside an outrageous, infallible 90.9 coverage grade....