COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Three Mountain West football players earned spots on the Football Writers Association of America’s All-America team, as announced Tuesday.
Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty and San José State wide receiver Nick Nash earned first-team honors and UNLV linebacker Jackson Woodard claimed second-team honors.
Jeanty and Nash also earned first-team distinction on The Associated Press, AFCA and Walter Camp All-America teams.
Jeanty, the runner-up for the Heisman Trophy who claimed the Maxwell Award as the national player of the year and the Doak Walker Award as the nation’s top running back, leads the FBS in several offensive categories, including rushing yards (2,497), rushing yards per game (192.1), rushing touchdowns (29), total offense (201.0), total points score (180) and total touchdowns (30) and has registered an FBS-record 143 forced missed tackles. The MW Offensive Player of the Year, who was also a finalist for the Walter Camp Player of the Year award, has helped the Broncos to the No. 9 spot in the final CFP rankings and the No. 3 seed in the College Football Playoff as the third-highest ranked conference champion. The Broncos will face either No. 6 seed Penn State or No. 11 seed SMU in the CFP quarterfinals at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl on Dec. 31.
Nash, who was a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award, is just the fourth player to earn the FBS receiving triple crown in the regular season, as he enters postseason play leading the FBS in receptions (104), receiving yards (1,382) and receiving touchdowns (16). He also leads the country with 8.7 receptions per game and 115.2 yards per game and has thrown two touchdown passes this season. Nash, SJSU’s first FWAA All-American since 2006 and the third overall, helped the Spartans qualify for their fourth bowl in five seasons, as SJSU will take on South Florida in the Hawai‘i Bowl on Dec. 24.
Woodard, the MW Defensive Player of the Year, becomes the first linebacker in UNLV history to be chosen by one of the five major All-America teams recognized by the NCAA (FWAA, AP, AFCA, Walter Camp and The Sporting News) and just the third Rebel player overall picked by the FWAA. With one game remaining this season, Woodard is ninth in UNLV single-season history with 124 total tackles, ranks eighth in the nation with 17 tackles-for-loss, stands fourth in the MW with 13 passes defended and second in the league with two fumble recoveries, including one for a touchdown in the Battle for the Fremont Cannon vs. Nevada. In addition, his four interceptions are the second-most for a linebacker in the country this fall. Woodard helped UNLV to the No. 24 slot in the final CFP rankings and its second straight appearance in the Old Trapper Mountain West Football Championship. The Rebels will face Cal in the Art of Sport LA Bowl Hosted By Gronk on Wednesday.
2024 FWAA All-America Team
FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
QB Dillon Gabriel, Oregon (6-0, 200, Sr., Mililani, Hawaii)
RB Ashton Jeanty, Boise State (5-9, 215, Jr., Jacksonville, Fla.)
RB Kaleb Johnson, Iowa (6-0, 225, Jr., Hamilton, Ohio)
WR Harold Fannin, Bowling Green (6-4, 230, Jr., Canton, Ohio)
WR Nick Nash, San José State (6-3, 195, Sr., Irvine, Calif.)
TE Tyler Warren, Penn State (6-6, 261, Sr., Mechanicsville, Va.)
OL Kelvin Banks Jr., Texas (6-4, 320, Jr., Humble, Texas)
OL Will Campbell, LSU (6-6, 323, Jr., Monroe, La.)
OL Wyatt Milum, West Virginia (6-6, 317, Sr., Kenova, W. Va.)
OL Addison West, Western Michigan (6-3, 305, R-Sr., Cary, Ill.)
C Seth McLaughlin, Ohio State (6-4, 305, Gr., Buford, Ga.)
FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
DE Abdul Carter, Penn State (6-3, 252, Jr., Philadelphia, Pa.)
DE Kyle Kennard, South Carolina (6-5, 254, Sr., Atlanta, Ga.)
DT Mason Graham, Michigan (6-3, 320, Jr., Mission Viejo, Calif.)
DT Walter Nolen, Ole Miss (6-3, 305, Jr., Powell, Tenn.)
LB Shaun Dolac, Buffalo (6-1, 225, Gr., West Seneca, N.Y.)
LB Aiden Fisher, Indiana (6-1, 233, Jr., Fredericksburg, Va.)
LB Jay Higgins, Iowa (6-2, 232, Sr., Indianapolis, Ind.)
DB Jahdae Barron, Texas (5-11, 200, Sr., Austin, Texas)
DB Caleb Downs, Ohio State (6-0, 205, Jr., Hoschton, Ga.)
DB Malaki Starks, Georgia (6-1, 205, Jr., Jefferson, Ga.)
DB Nohl Williams, California (6-1, 200, Sr., Oxnard, Calif.)
FIRST TEAM SPECIALISTS
K Collin Rogers, SMU (6-4, 219, Jr., Prattville, Ala.)
P Alex Mastromanno, Florida State (6-1, 241, Sr., Melbourne, Australia)
KR Keelan Marion, BYU (6-0, 195, Jr., Atlanta, Ga.)
PR Kaden Wetjen, Iowa (5-10, 196, Sr., Williamsburg, Iowa)
AP Travis Hunter, Colorado (6-1, 185, Jr., Suwanee, Ga.)
SECOND TEAM OFFENSE: QB Cam Ward, Miami; RB Dylan Sampson, Tennessee; RB Cam Skattebo, Arizona State; WR Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona; WR Xavier Restrepo, Miami; TE Colston Loveland, Michigan; OL Tyler Booker, Alabama; OL Aireontae Ersery, Minnesota; OL Lucas Scott, Army West Point; OL Clay Webb, Jax State; C Parker Brailsford, Alabama. SECOND TEAM DEFENSE: DE Mike Green, Marshall; DE Antwaun Powell-Ryland, Virginia Tech; DT Howard Cross III, Notre Dame; DT Derrick Harmon, Oregon; LB Jihaad Campbell, Alabama; LB Danny Stutsman, Oklahoma; LB Jackson Woodard, UNLV; DB Nick Emmanwori, South Carolina; DB D’Angelo Ponds, Indiana; DB Terrence Spence, James Madison; DB Xavier Watts, Notre Dame. SECOND TEAM SPECIALISTS: K Kenneth Almendares, Louisiana; P Kai Kroeger, South Carolina; KR Winston Wright, East Carolina; PR Josh Cameron, Baylor; AP Desmond Reid, Pitt.
