Jim Thorpe Award Winner Jahdae Barron’s 4 Drills for Dominating Receivers

• By Grant Young

On December 12, it was announced that Texas Longhorns cornerback Jahdae Barron was the winner of the Jim Thorpe Award during ESPN's College Football Awards show, which is given to the top defensive back in college football since 1986.

There’s little doubt that Barron is deserving of this prestigious award, which is named after multi-sport athlete Jim Thorpe, who was selected by American media members as the greatest American athlete and the greatest gridiron football player of the first half of the 20th century in 1950.

Barron was a semi-finalist for this award in 2023, but won it outright in 2024 after a season where he led both the SEC and ranked third in the FBS in interceptions, with five. Barron also posted 47 total tackles (32 solo), one sack, one fumble recovery, and nine pass breakups, while Texas still has at least one more game to play this season in the College Football Playoffs. Three of his interceptions this season have come against Georgia.

Barron got to this position through a tireless commitment to improving and a relentless desire to master his craft. And while he hasn’t reached cornerback mastery quite yet, he has gotten just about as close as a college player can. 

In his ‘Dominate Receivers with Jahdae Barron’ course, Barron walks through everything he has focused on to become a dominant starting defensive back, such as perfecting his stance, becoming fast and smart off the break to intercept passes, and various other techniques to help beat receivers of any size.

We have pulled three of Barron’s biggest keys and detailed them below so that any current cornerback or defensive backs coach can see the steps Barron took to become college football’s best cornerback this season. 

Utilizing Ladders to Speed up Feet when in the Defensive Back Position

Barron asserts that having quick feet and well-developed footwork is perhaps the most important physical asset that a defensive back can have, and he also believes that quick feet can offset any height disadvantage a cornerback has against a receiver.

Barron has a few ladder drills that he has used countless times over the years to help improve his footwork. The first drill begins with the player in their pre-snap position on the right side of the agility ladder, at the ladder’s front portion. The defender will then place their left foot inside each ladder before bringing it back to their natural position. Each time this is done, the defender will be slowly moving backward with each time the defender steps in and out with their right foot.

After 1-3 rounds of this, the defender will move to the other side of the ladder and re-do the drill with their other foot. 

A few keys that players and coaches should be focused on with this drill is that the player keeps a narrow stance, back straight with their knees remaining bent at a 45-degree angle throughout while their weight and vision are kept fixed forward, as it would during a game. 

Another ladder agility drill that Baroon swears by uses the same principles, although this time the defender is facing the ladder and moving in and out of each ladder with both feet, moving progressively to the left as fast as possible without compromising their technique and stance. 

Stay One Step Ahead of Receivers with the Mirror Drill

Once the agility drills are completed, Barron always finds time to do the mirror drill, which begins with two cones being set up five yards apart. 

One player who’s pretending to be a receiver will move laterally between these two cones while the defender is one yard away from them, in their cornerback position, making sure to stay square, never overlap the receiver, and remain on the receiver’s inside hip throughout all of their movements. 

The defender should always be keeping their eyes on the receiver’s hips and thighs while also keeping their feet moving. 

And if the receiver settles (stops their feet) then the cornerback should be chopping their own legs in place to prepare for a sudden movement to either side. This drill can start with the receiver moving slowly before progressively ramping up the speed until they’re moving laterally as fast as possible. 

Become More Versatile through this 45 Degree Angle Break Drill

A cornerback being able to get the upper hand on receivers during the break is often the moment when success or shortcoming on a play occurs. This is why Barron is so keen on his 3 cone drill, which starts with three cones placed five yards apart. 

The defender will begin at the first cone, go all the way around it while remaining in his stance, cross-over run to the next cone, go all the way around that one, and then break at a 45-degree angle at the third and final cone before a few yards behind where the first cone is positioned. At that point, a coach will throw a ball in the air that the defender will high-point and bring down.