Tiger lands another freshman All-America honor

Blake Miller has notched four freshman All-America honors.

by Press Release - Thu Jan 12 15:27:43 GMT-04:00 2023

The Football Writers Association of America announced today that Clemson offensive tackle Blake Miller has been named to the organization’s Freshman All-America Team for 2022.

Miller’s selection among the FWAA’s honorees supplements previous Freshman All-America selections garnered from College Football News, On3 and Pro Football Focus.

North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye was the toast of Atlantic Coast Conference quarterbacks this season, throwing for 38 touchdowns and leading the league in passing yards (4,321) and total touchdowns (45). For his dynamic efforts that led the Tar Heels (9-5) to the ACC’s Coastal Division title, the Football Writers Association of America awarded him as its Freshman Player of the Year presented by Chris Doering Mortgage.

Maye headlines the FWAA’s 2022 Freshman All-America Team, a list of 32 first-year players who had standout seasons. Georgia, LSU and Penn State lead off that list with two players each among 29 different schools and all 10 FBS conferences plus independents represented.

College Football Hall of Famer and legendary coach Steve Spurrier and former player ESPN College Football analyst Chris Doering will present the Player of the Year award at a reception planned for Feb. 20 at Spurrier’s Gridiron Grille in Gainesville, Fla. During the event, the presentation of the inaugural Steve Spurrier Legend Coach Award presented by Chris Doering Mortgage will go to Coach Bob Stoops for his stellar coaching career at Oklahoma from 1999-2016, where he notched a 191-48 record. Last year’s event was attended by both winning coaches, Coach Spurrier, Chris Doering, the FWAA’s Mike Griffith, many other notable Gator and NFL greats, dignitaries from all three schools, members of the media and event sponsors.

The SEC led all conferences with nine members on the Freshman All-America Team. Among them is Ole Miss running back Quinshon Judkins, the SEC’s Newcomer of the Year who led all SEC running backs with 1,567 yards and 16 touchdowns. He is Ole Miss’ first true freshman to ever earn FWAA Freshman All-America honors. National champion Georgia placed two defenders on the team, Malaki Starks in the secondary and defensive lineman Mykel Williams. Starks was the Bulldogs’ second-leading tackler with 67 going into the College Football Playoff Championship Game with 3.5 sacks, tied for second on the team, and Williams was 11th in tackles with 26. Five of the 14 defensive players hailed from the SEC.

LSU linebacker Harold Perkins Jr., a true freshman, had an amazing season leading the Tigers in both sacks (6.5) and tackles for loss (11.5). Perkins, LSU’s first linebacker to earn Freshman All-American honors, added 69 total tackles and 13 quarterback hurries. He was twice named SEC Defensive Player of the Week after wins over Alabama and Arkansas. He and offensive lineman Will Campbell, the Tigers’ first selection on the offensive line since 2015, give LSU five FWAA Freshman All-Americans in the last four seasons.

Penn State led the Big Ten with two of the league’s five players with all-purpose player Nicholas Singleton and linebacker Abdul Carter, the Nittany Lions’ first Freshman All-American linebacker since its first honoree, Dan Conner, in 2004. Also from the Big Ten, defensive lineman Gabe Jacas is only Illinois’ second-ever honoree and its first since 2010. Both were defensive linemen.

In the Pac-12, Roger Rosengarten is Washington’s first-ever offensive lineman to make the team and its first since 2016. At Arizona, Jonah Saavaiinaea is the Wildcats’ first honoree on the offensive line since 2006 and its first since 2017. Wide receiver J. Michael Sturdivant is Cal’s first freshman to make the team since 2016 and only the school’s third-ever. The Pac-12 tied with the ACC and Big 12 with three honorees.

Texas (5), Louisiana (4), Florida (3) and Georgia (3) led the hometown states from which the All-Americans hailed.

The complete 2022 FWAA Freshman All-America Team:

OFFENSE

QB Drake Maye, North Carolina (6-4, 220, Huntersville, N.C.)

• RB Quinshon Judkins, Ole Miss (5-11, 210, Pike Road, Ala.)

• RB Richard Reese, Baylor (5-9, 175, Bellville, Texas)

WR Jared Brown, Coastal Carolina (6-0, 185, Lilburn, Ga.)

• WR Evan Stewart, Texas A&M (5-11, 170, Frisco, Texas)

WR J. Michael Sturdivant, Cal (6-3, 205, Highland Village, Texas)

TE Brady Hunt, Ball State (6-6, 245, Muncie, Ind.)

• OL Kelvin Banks Jr., Texas (6-4, 320, Humble, Texas)

• OL Will Campbell, LSU (6-6, 325, Monroe, La.)

• OL Blake Miller, Clemson (6-6, 315, Strongsville, Ohio)

OL Mason Randolph, Boise State (6-4, 320, Yorba Linda, Calif.)

OL Roger Rosengarten, Washington (6-6, 303, Highlands Ranch, Colo.)

• OL Jonah Savaiinaea, Arizona (6-5, 330, Tafuna, American Samoa)

DEFENSE

DL Dontay Corleone, Cincinnati (6-2, 320, Cincinnati, Ohio)

• DL Gabe Jacas, Illinois (6-3, 265, Port St. Lucie, Fla.)

• DL Deone Walker, Kentucky (6-6, 330, Detroit, Mich.)

• DL Mykel Williams, Georgia (6-5, 265, Columbus, Ga.)

• LB Jaishawn Barham, Maryland (6-3, 230, District Heights, Md.)

• LB Abdul Carter, Penn State (6-3, 233, Philadelphia, Pa.)

LB Trey Moore, UTSA (6-3, 230, San Antonio, Texas)

• LB Harold Perkins Jr., LSU (6-2, 220, New Orleans, La.)

DB Terrion Arnold, Alabama (6-0, 188, Tallahassee, Fla.)

DB Kendal Daniels, Oklahoma State (6-4, 205, Beggs, Okla.)

• DB Mansoor Delane, Virginia Tech (6-1, 177, Silver Spring, Md.)

DB Demetrius Hill, FIU (6-2, 190, Miami, Fla.)

• DB Benjamin Morrison, Notre Dame (6-0, 179, Phoenix, Ariz.)

• DB Malaki Starks, Georgia (6-1, 205, Jefferson, Ga.)

SPECIALISTS

• K Dominic Zvada, Arkansas State (6-2, 155, Chandler, Ariz.)

• P Anthony Venneri, Buffalo (6-0, 225, Hamilton, Ontario)

• KR Jaylin Lucas, Indiana (5-9, 185, Houma, La.)

• PR Zavion Thomas, Mississippi State (5-11, 190, Woodmere, La.)

• AP Nicholas Singleton, Penn State (6-0, 219, Shillington, Pa.)

• Denotes true freshman

Selections by conference: SEC 9, Big Ten 5, ACC 3, Pac-12 3, Big 12 3, Conference USA 2, Mid-American 2, Sun Belt 2, Independents 1, American Athletic 1, Mountain West 1.

Home states: Texas 5, Louisiana 4, Georgia 3, Florida 3, Arizona 2, Maryland 2, Ohio 2, Pennsylvania 2, Alabama, California, Colorado, Indiana, Michigan, North Carolina, Oklahoma State 1, and American Samoa and Ontario 1.

ALL-TIME FWAA FRESHMAN PLAYERS OF THE YEAR

2018: Trevor Lawrence, Clemson (Quarterback)

2019: Kenneth Gainwell, Memphis (All-Purpose)

2020: Will Anderson Jr., Alabama (Linebacker)

2021: Brock Bowers, Georgia (Tight End)

2022: Drake Maye, North Carolina (Quarterback)