Three Tigers make AP first-team All-America |
| - Monday, December 10, 2018, 12:30 PM |
Three Tigers were named to the Associated Press All-American first team on Monday.
Offensive tackle Mitch Hyatt and defensive tackle Christian Wilkins improved on second-team honors last season to the first-team selection this season. Defensive end Clelin Ferrell posted a second-straight season with AP first-team honors. ACC player of the year Travis Etienne rounds out the AP selections on the second team, after ranking in the top-10 nationally in total touchdowns 2 (22), rushing touchdowns 3 (21), rushing yards per carry 5 (8.31), rushing yards 5 (1,463) and rushing yards per game 10 (112.5). Ferrell earned the Ted Hendricks Award honor for the nation's top defensive end with 10.5 sacks and 17 TFL. His D-line teammate Wilkins was a finalist for the Bednarik, Outland and Nagurski awards - among more - with 52 total stops, 13.5 for loss, with five sacks and an ACC-leading 36 QB pressures (per Pro Football Focus). Hyatt was a back-to-back ACC Jacobs Blocking Trophy winner and has allowed just 11 pressures in 398 pass blocking snaps this season per PFF. Christian Wilkins named first-team AP All-American for 2018. He is the first Clemson football player in history to be named a first-team All-American by at least one of the five major All-America teams (AP, Coaches, Writers, Walter Camp, Sporting News) three different season. Clemson's Clelin Ferrell named first-team AP All-American for second straight year. Just the second Clemson player and first since Terry Kinard (1981-82) to be a two time first-team AP selection.
