DeCastro,
Chase Thomas and Fleener Named Sporting News
All-Americans
Stanford’s three selections second only to Alabama’s
four
STANFORD, Calif. -- Three Stanford players – right guard David DeCastro,
outside linebacker Chase Thomas and tight end Coby Fleener – have been named to
the Sporting News All-America team, which was released on
Thursday.
Stanford’s three selections were tied with LSU and ranked second only to
Alabama’s four on the Sporting News All-America squad. By conference, the SEC
had nine representatives, followed by the Pac-12 and Big Ten with five and the
Big 12 with four.
With
the selection of Thomas and Fleener, Stanford has had five players earn spots on
NCAA-recognized All-America teams, which include the Walter Camp Football
Foundation, American Football Coaches Association, Football Writers Association
of America, Associated Press, along with Sporting
News.
It’s
the most All-America selections ever turned out by the Stanford program in one
season, topping the 1973 squad, which produced four All-Americans in Mike
Boryla, Pat Donavan, Rod Garcia and Roger
Stillwell.
By
being named to the Sporting News squad, DeCastro has earned the distinction of
being a unanimous All-America selection, having already landed spots on the
Walter Camp, AFCA, FWAA and AP squads. He is Stanford’s second unanimous
All-American in the last three years, following Toby Gerhart in
2009.
Fleener is the first tight end in Stanford history to earn All-America
recognition. The fifth-year senior grabbed 32 passes for 648 yards and a
team-high 10 touchdowns, which topped all FBS tight ends. He averaged 20.2 yards
per catch, which currently ranks second on Stanford’s all-time single season
list. His 18 career touchdowns rank fifth
all-time.
Thomas
finished fourth on the team in total tackles with 51 and led the Pac-12 in
tackles-for-loss per game (1.46; 73 total) and finished second in sacks-per-game
(0.71; 8.5 total). He was also credited with five forced fumbles, which ranked
second in the conference and tied for eighth
nationally.
Thomas
keyed a defensive unit that led the Pac-12 in five categories while ranking
second in three others.
He is
the first Stanford linebacker to earn All-America honors since Ron George in
1992.
Robert Griffin III of Baylor was named Sporting News Player of the
Year.
Sporting News All-American
Team
Offense
QB -- Robert Griffin III, Jr.,
Baylor
RB -- Trent Richardson, Jr.,
Alabama
RB -- Montee Ball, Jr.,
Wisconsin
OL -- David DeCastro,
Jr., Stanford
OL -- Barrett Jones, Jr.,
Alabama
OL -- Nate Potter, Sr., Boise State
OL -- Will Blackwell, Sr.,
LSU
OL -- David Molk, Sr.,
Michigan
WR -- Robert Woods, Soph.,
USC
WR -- Justin Blackmon, Jr., Oklahoma State
TE -- Coby Fleener,
Sr., Stanford
K -- Randy Bullock, Sr., Texas
A&M
KR -- Tyler Lockett, Fr., Kansas State
Defense
DL -- Whitney Mercilus, Jr.,
Illinois
DL -- Jerel Worthy, Jr., Michigan State
DL -- Devon Still, Sr., Penn State
DL -- Melvin Ingram, Sr., South Carolina
LB -- Courtney Upshaw, Sr.,
Alabama
LB -- Luke Kuechly, Jr., Boston College
LB -- Chase Thomas,
Jr., Stanford
CB -- Tyrann Mathieu, Soph.,
LSU
CB -- Morris Claiborne, Jr.,
LSU
S -- T.J. McDonald, Jr.,
USC
S -- Mark Barron, Sr.,
Alabama
P -- Ryan Allen, Jr., Louisiana Tech
PR -- Joe Adams, Sr., Arkansas
Thanks to Stanford Athletics Media
Relations for the above information
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