COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty and San José State wide receiver Nick Nash have earned Consensus All-America honors and were unanimous selections, with both claiming first-team distinction on The Associated Press, American Football Coaches Association, Football Writers Association of America, The Sporting News and Walter Camp All-America teams.
The players who earned consensus honors were listed on the most first-team All-America teams competing against players at that position only. To be selected, a player must be named first-team on at least two of the five selected All-America teams. Jeanty and Nash were among eight players who were unanimous choices at specific positions by the five organizations used in the consensus chart. Also of note, the five teams have different ways of listing the returner and/or all-purpose player. For the purposes of the Consensus All-America team, those categories were treated as one position.
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 and is a finalist for the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose 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.
Jeanty is the third Bronco to be tabbed a consensus All-American and the first to earn unanimous honors.
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 finished 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. According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), Nash has 39 catches gaining 15 yards or more (first in nation) and 71 catches gaining a first down (first in nation). Nash 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.
Nash is the first San José State player ever to be named a consensus All-American.
Consensus All-Americans
Offense
WR—*Nick Nash, San José State, 6-3, 195, Sr.
WR—Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona, 6-5, 212, Jr.
WR—Xavier Restrepo, Miami (FL), 5-10, 198, Sr.
TE—Harold Fannin Jr., Bowling Green, 6-4, 230, Jr.
OL—*Kelvin Banks Jr., Texas, 6-4, 320, Jr.
OL—Wyatt Milum, West Virginia, 6-6, 317, Sr.
OL—Will Campbell, LSU, 6-6, 323, Jr.
OL—Addison West, Western Michigan, 6-3, 305, Sr.
C—Seth McLaughlin, Ohio St., 6-4, 305, Sr.
QB—Cam Ward, Miami (FL), 6-2, 223, Sr.
RB—*Ashton Jeanty, Boise State, 5-9, 215, Jr.
RB—Kaleb Johnson, Iowa, 6-0, 225, Jr.
PK—Kenneth Almendares, Louisiana, 6-2, 252, Sr.
Returner/All-Purpose—*#Travis Hunter, Colorado, 6-1, 185, Jr.
Defense
DL—*Mason Graham, Michigan, 6-3, 320, Jr.
DL—*Abdul Carter, Penn State, 6-3, 252, Jr.
DL—Kyle Kennard, South Carolina, 6-5, 254, Sr.
DL—Walter Nolen, Ole Miss, 6-3, 305, Jr.
DL—Donovan Ezeiruaku, Boston College, 602, 247, Sr.
LB—*Jay Higgins, Iowa, 6-2, 232, Sr.
LB—Shaun Dolac, Buffalo, 6-1, 225, Sr.
LB—Danny Stutsman, Oklahoma, 6-4, 243, Sr.
DB—*Caleb Downs, Ohio State, 6-0, 205, So.
DB—Nohl Williams, California, 6-1, 200, Sr.
DB—Xavier Watts, Notre Dame, 6-0, 203, Sr.
DB—Jahdae Barron, Texas, 5-11, 200, Sr.
P—Alex Mastromanno, Florida State, 6-1, 241, Sr.
*Indicates unanimous first-team selection.
#Travis Hunter was listed as a first-team All-America on all five lists but was listed at three different positions. He was listed as first-team all-purpose player on three lists (AFCA, AP, Football Writers Association of America), first-team wide receiver on two lists (Walter Camp and Sporting News) and first-team defensive back on two lists (Walter Camp and AP). He is a unanimous choice since he was first-team on all five lists and he’s listed at returner/all-purpose because that’s the position where he had the most votes.