Alabama Athletics
Shane Lee, Evan Neal Named to FWAA-Shaun Alexander Freshman All-American Team
The University of Alabama had two players selected for the 2019 Football Writers Association of America-Shaun Alexander Freshman All-America Team, announced in New Orleans on Monday morning.
Middle linebacker Shane Lee moved into the starting lineup after a season-ending injury to Dylan Moses and led all SEC freshmen with 77 tackles. He was also tied for fourth in the league with 5.5 tackles for loss.
Evan Neal started all 13 games for the Crimson Tide at left guard, assisting on a line that gave up only 12 sacks in 381 pass attempts.
The team and freshman player of the year award bearing Alexander's named are always announced the morning of the National Championship Game, at the annual FWAA breakfast ceremony at the title game site.
Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year: Kenny Grainwell, Memphis
Breakout Performance of the Year: Jayden Daniels, Arizona State
Most Inspiration Freshman: Kedon Slovis, Southern California
2019 SHAUN ALEXANDER FWAA FRESHMAN ALL-AMERICA TEAM
OFFENSE
QB • Sam Howell, North Carolina (6-2, 225, Indian Trail, N.C.)
QB • Kedon Slovis, USC (6-2, 200, Scottsdale, Ariz.)
RB Javian Hawkins, Louisville (5-9, 182, Titusville, Fla.)
RB • Sincere McCormick, UTSA (5-9, 200, Converse, Texas)
WR • David Bell, Purdue (6-2, 210, Indianapolis, Ind.)
WR • C.J. Johnson, East Carolina (6-2, 229, Greenville, N.C.)
WR • Dante Wright, Colorado State (5-10, 165, Navarre, Fla.)
OL • Ikem Ekwonu, N.C. State (6-4, 308, Charlotte, N.C.)
OL Travis Glover, Georgia State (6-6, 330, Vienna, Ga.)
OL • Evan Neal, Alabama (6-7, 360, Okeechobee, Fla.)
OL • Sean Rhyan, UCLA (6-4, 323, Ladera Beach, Calif.)
OL Nick Rosi, Toledo (6-4, 290, Powell, Ohio)
OL • O'Cyrus Torrence, Louisiana (6-5, 342, Greensburg, La.)
DEFENSE
DL Solomon Byrd, Wyoming (6-4, 243, Palmdale, Calif.)
DL • George Karlaftis, Purdue (6-4, 265, West Lafayette, Ind.)
DL Gregory Rousseau, Miami (6-6, 251, Coconut Creek, Fla.)
DL • Kayvon Thibodeuax, Oregon (6-5, 242, Los Angeles, Calif.)
LB • Shane Lee, Alabama (6-0, 246, Burtonsville, Md.)
LB Azeez Ojulari, Georgia (6-3, 240, Marietta, Ga.)
LB Devin Richardson, New Mexico State (6-3, 233, Klein, Texas)
LB • Omar Speights, Oregon State (6-1, 233, Philadelphia, Pa.)
DB • Ahmad Gardner, Cincinnati (6-2, 185, Detroit, Mich.)
DB • Kyle Hamilton, Notre Dame (6-4, 240, Atlanta, Ga.)
DB Verone McKinley III, Oregon (5-10, 192, Carrollton, Texas)
DB • Tykee Smith, West Virginia (5-10, 184, Philadelphia, Pa.)
DB • Derek Stingley Jr., LSU (6-1, 190, Baton Rouge, La.)
DB Ar'Darius Washington, TCU (5-8, 175, Shreveport, La.
SPECIALISTS
P • Austin McNamara, Texas Tech (6-4, 175, Gilbert, Ariz.)
K Gabe Brkic, Oklahoma (6-2, 175, Chardon, Ohio)
KR • Joshua Youngblood, Kansas State (5-10, 180, Tampa, Fla.)
PR Kyle Phillips, UCLA (5-11, 181, San Marcos, Calif.)
AP Kenneth Gainwell, Memphis (5-11, 183, Yazoo City, Miss.)
HEAD COACH
Ryan Day, Ohio State
• Denotes true freshman
The 2019 Football Writers Association of America-Shaun Alexander Freshman All-America Team is presented by the Stand Together Foundation
Shaun Alexander is a former All-Pro running back with the Seattle Seahawks (2000-07) and Washington Redskins (2008) and a former All-SEC player at Alabama (1995-99). He finished a four-year career with the Crimson Tide holding 15 records including 3,565 career rushing yards and most touchdowns (5) in a game. He was drafted by Seattle as the 19th overall pick in the 2000 NFL Draft, and in his second season had a breakout year with 1,318 yards and 14 touchdowns, including a franchise-record 266 yards on 35 carries in a memorable ESPN Sunday Night Football game against Oakland. Today Alexander travels the country speaking and teaching people about the things he is passionate about – his Christian faith, marriage, fatherhood, football, winning, leading and love.
The Stand Together Foundation is committed to breaking the cycle of poverty by supporting the creative solutions of individuals and organizations who are driving dynamic entrepreneurship in communities across the country and helping people transform their lives. Founded in 2016, the Foundation partners with the nation's most effective and top-performing non-profits to help them deepen and grow their impact through innovative solutions to break barriers for people in poverty so that they can realize their potential.
Founded in 1941, the Football Writers Association of America consists of 1,400 men and women who cover college football. The membership includes journalists, broadcasters and publicists, as well as key executives in all the areas that involve the game. The FWAA works to govern areas that include game-day operations, major awards and its annual All-America team. For more information about the FWAA and its award programs, contact Steve Richardson at tiger@fwaa.com.
2019 FWAA Freshman All-America Committee: Shaun Alexander; Mark Anderson, Las Vegas Review-Journal (MW); Mark Blaudschun, TMGCollegeSports.com (ACC); Scott Dochterman, The Athletic (Big Ten); Michael Griffith, Freshman Focus; Mike Griffith, Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Chair/Independents); Tommy Hicks, Freelance (Sun Belt); Ron Higgins, Tiger Rag (SEC); Blair Kerkhoff, The Kansas City Star (Big 12); Matt Murschel, Orlando Sentinel (American Athletic); Nick Piotrowicz, Toledo Blade (MAC); Steve Richardson, FWAA; Grant Traylor, Huntington Herald-Dispatch (Conference USA); Ryan Young, Rivals.com (Pac-12).
