Cincinnati senior cornerback Coby Bryant was named the winner of the 2021 Paycom Jim Thorpe Award on Thursday at the 31st Annual The Home Depot College Football Awards.

Bryant, a Cleveland, Ohio, native, took his game to a new level in his fifth and final season at UC, leading the Bearcats to an undefeated record, a second consecutive American Athletic Conference Championship and the College Football Playoff Semifinals at the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic.

Through 13 games in 2021, he has 41 tackles, three forced fumbles, three interceptions, 11 pass breakups (15th in the nation, fifth in the AAC) and 14 passes defended (ninth in the nation, third in AAC).

Bryant is a leader on a Bearcats defense that ranks No. 1 nationally in pass efficiency defense (100.47), fourth in opponent completion percentage (53.5%), third in interceptions (18), fifth in TD passes allowed (10) and No. 3 in passing yards allowed (168.3).

He has played in 62 games in his career with 49 starts. His career record is 48-14 at Cincinnati, and he's now a two-time AAC Champion. His 45 career passes defended ranks No. 2 in Cincinnati history and his 10 career interceptions is the fifth most among active players.

Bryant was an All-AAC First Team selection 2020 and 2021, was named a semifinalist for the Lott IMPACT Trophy.

Bryant joins former UC kicker Jonathan Ruffin (Lou Groza in 2000) as the second Bearcat to claim a major national award. He is one of only two winners in Jim Thorpe Award history to come from non-Power 5 schools, with Colorado State's Greg Meyers as the other.

He will be honored at the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award banquet on Feb. 8, 2022 at the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City, Okla.