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Florida State cornerback Tarvarus McFadden is the 2016 Jack Tatum Award winner as the nation's top defensive back, the Touchdown Club of Columbus announced Friday. McFadden is tied for the national lead with eight interceptions this season -- the most for any Seminole since Terrell Buckley, the 1991 Tatum Award winner, had a school-record 12.
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The 6-foot-2, 198-pound McFadden, a sophomore from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., wins the award named for the late Ohio State legend. Past winners include Charles Woodson of Michigan, Miami's Sean Taylor and Tennessee's Eric Berry.
McFadden started all 12 games for the Seminoles this season, picking off some of the top quarterbacks in the nation. He got started with an interception against Ole Miss quarterback Chad Kelly in the season opener that sealed the FSU victory. McFadden went on to record interceptions against Heisman Trophy candidate Lamar Jackson of Louisville, American Athletic Conference Player of the Year Quinton Flowers of USF, Miami's Brad Kaaya and 2015 Heisman Trophy finalist Deshaun Watson of Clemson.
The Jack Tatum Award will be presented during the 62nd Touchdown Club of Columbus Awards on Feb. 4, 2017.
