Louisville safety Gerod Holliman won the Jim Thorpe Award on Thursday.
A junior, Holliman led the league with 14 interceptions, five more than the runner up.
Former Michigan State and current Cincinnati Bengal cornerback Darqueze Dennard won the award last year, which is given out to the nation's top defensive back.
Alabama safety Landon Collins and Oregon's Ifo Ekpre-Olomu were also finalists for the award.