UGA Football: Four Bulldogs Named To AFCA FBS Coaches’ All-America Team
ATHENS, Ga.——Georgia senior safety Christopher Smith, junior defensive lineman Jalen Carter and sophomore tight end Brock Bowers were named to the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) FBS Coaches’ All-America First Team while sophomore linebacker Jamon Dumas-Johnson was included on the Second Team, according to an announcement Wednesday.
Georgia (13-0), the Southeastern Conference champion and top seed in the College Football Playoff, led all schools with three first-team selections. Carter checked in as a Second Team selection in 2021.
Smith, a native of Atlanta, Ga., was a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy. He has started all 13 games, leads the squad with three interceptions and ranks fourth in tackles with 50. In the SEC Championship Game victory over LSU, Smith returned a blocked field goal 96 yards for a touchdown, had three tackles, including a TFL, and an interception.
Carter, a native of Apopka, Fla., was a Rotary Lombardi Award finalist. Despite starting only seven games because of an early season knee injury, he has 29 tackles, including seven tackles for loss (TFL) and three sacks, to go with two forced fumbles and 25 quarterback hurries. Over the last six games, Carter has accounted for 24 tackles, 6.5 TFLs, three sacks and a pair of forced fumbles.
Bowers, a native of Napa, Calif., won the John Mackey Award last week as the nation’s top tight end. He has a team-best 52 catches for 726 yards and six touchdowns. Bowers also has six carries for 93 yards and three scores. In addition, he has been a pivotal blocker for a Bulldog offense that averages 207 yards on the ground and has allowed only seven sacks this year. Bowers was a Rotary Lombardi Award finalist and was named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District team.
Dumas-Johnson, a native of Hyattsville, Md., was a Butkus Award finalist. He is the team’s co-leader in tackles with 64, including eight tackles-for-loss, three sacks and 21 quarterback hurries. Dumas-Johnson has started all 13 games and served as one of the team captains seven times.
Smith, Carter, Dumas-Johnson were named Sporting News First Team All-Americans on Tuesday while Bowers was a Second Team selection. On Monday, Smith and Carter were named Associated Press (AP) First Team All-Americans while Bowers and Dumas-Johnson were Second Team selections. Last week, Smith and Carter were named to the Walter Camp Football Foundation and Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) All-America First Team while Bowers made the FWAA First Team and Walter Camp Second Team.
The AFCA All-America Team has been among the five teams used to formulate the NCAA’s annual consensus All-America team, which will be announced later this week. Since the 2002 season, the Sporting News, the AP, the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA), and the Walter Camp Football Foundation have joined the AFCA as the five designated selectors by the NCAA.
The Bulldogs battle No. 4 Ohio State (11-1) in the CFP Semifinal Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl in Atlanta on Dec. 31. ESPN will televise the matchup at 8 p.m.