Jaylen Waddle Named First-Team All-American by FWAA

Alabama sophomore receives honors from the Football Writers Association of America

Alabama wide receiver/return specialist Jaylen Waddle was selected as a First Team All-American at punt returner by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) on Thursday.

The first-team honors are the second for the sophomore, who was also selected to The Sporting News’ first team earlier this week.

However, he won’t be considered a consensus All-American because most of the services the NCAA uses to determine that status only name one return specialist. Consequently, the designation will go to Lynn Bowden Jr. of Kentucky.

Waddle was 2019 SEC Special Teams Player of the Year, and Leads the nation in punt return average at 24.9 yards per return with 19 returns for 474 yards and a score

He’d also returned four kickoffs for 152 yards and a touchdown, plus 553 yards and six touchdowns on 32 catches as a wide receiver.

Waddle was a named a second-teamer for All-America honors by the Associated Press and Walter Camp

2019 FWAA ALL-AMERICA FIRST TEAM

OFFENSE
QB Joe Burrow, LSU (6-4, 216, Sr., Athens, Ohio)
RB Chuba Hubbard, Oklahoma State (6-1, 207, So., Sherwood Park, Alberta)
RB Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin (5-11, 219, Jr., Salem, N.J.)
WR Ja’Marr Chase, LSU (6-1, 200, So., Metairie, La.)
WR CeeDee Lamb, Oklahoma (6-2, 189, Jr., Richmond, Texas)
TE Harrison Bryant, Florida Atlantic (6-5, 240, Sr., Gray, Ga.)
OL Penei Sewell, Oregon (6-6, 325, So., Malaeimi, American Samoa)
OL John Simpson, Clemson (6-4, 330, Sr., North Charleston, S.C.)
OL Andrew Thomas, Georgia (6-5, 320, Jr., Lithonia, Ga.)
OL Tristan Wirfs, Iowa (6-5, 322, Jr., Mount Vernon, Iowa)
C Tyler Biadasz, Wisconsin (6-3, 321, Jr., Amherst, Wis.)

DEFENSE
DL Bradlee Anae, Utah (6-3, 265, Sr., Laie, Hawaii)
DL Derrick Brown, Auburn (6-5, 318, Sr., Sugar Hill, Ga.)
DL James Lynch, Baylor (6-4, 295, Jr., Round Rock, Texas)
DL Chase Young, Ohio State (6-5, 265, Jr., Upper Marlboro, Md.)
LB Zack Baun, Wisconsin (6-3, 235, Sr., Brown Deer, Wis.)
LB Isaiah Simmons, Clemson (6-4, 230, Jr., Olathe, Kan.)
LB Evan Weaver, California (6-3, 235, Sr., Spokane, Wash.)
DB Jeff Okudah, Ohio State (6-1, 200, Jr., Grand Prairie, Texas)
DB J.R. Reed, Georgia (6-1, 194, Gr., Frisco, Texas)
DB Amik Robertson, Louisiana Tech (5-9, 183, Jr., Thibodaux, La.)
DB Antoine Winfield Jr., Minnesota (5-10, 205, So., The Woodlands, Texas)

SPECIALISTS
K Keith Duncan, Iowa (5-10, 180, Jr., Weddington, N.C.)
P Max Duffy, Kentucky (6-1, 194, Jr., Perth, Australia)
KR Joe Reed, Virginia (6-3, 215, Sr., Charlotte Court House, Va.)
PR Jaylen Waddle, Alabama (5-10, 182, So., Houston, Texas)
AP J.K. Dobbins, Ohio State (5-10, 217, Jr., La Grange, Texas)

2019 FWAA ALL-AMERICA SECOND TEAM

Offense: QB Justin Fields, Ohio State; RB Travis Etienne, Clemson; RB Zack Moss, Utah; WR Michael Pittman Jr., USC; WR James Proche, SMU; TE Charlie Kolar, Iowa State; OL Lloyd Cushenberry III, LSU; OL Wyatt Davis, Ohio State; OL Logan Stenberg, Kentucky; OL Calvin Throckmorton, Oregon; C Creed Humphrey, Oklahoma. 

Defense: DL Leki Fotu, Utah; DL Greg Rousseau, Miami; DL Jaylen Twyman, Pitt; DL Curtis Weaver, Boise State; LB Jordyn Brooks, Texas Tech; LB Micah Parsons, Penn State; LB Hamilcar Rashed, Oregon State; DB Luq Barcoo, San Diego State; DB Jeff Gladney, TCU; DB C.J. Henderson, Florida; DB Derek Stingley Jr., LSU.

Specialists: K Nick Sciba, Wake Forest; P Sterling Hofrichter, Syracuse; KR Joshua Youngblood, Kansas State; PR Jalen Reagor TCU; AP Brandon Aiyuk, Arizona State.