Jaylen Waddle Named First-Team All-American by Sporting News

Jaylen Waddle was named a first-team All-American by the Sporting News on Tuesday.

Waddle was named as a return specialist.

“I think people try to make this like I’m a returner who plays receiver, but I work real hard at receiver, so I’m a receiver who returns punts," he said Tuesday.

Overall, Alabama had five selections, the other four landing second-team honors:

Five Alabama football student-athletes earned All-America honors from the Sporting News Tuesday morning. Sophomore wideout/return specialist Jaylen Waddle earned first-team recognition, while senior Trevon Diggs (CB), juniors Xavier McKinney (S), DeVonta Smith (WR) and Jedrick Wills Jr. (OL) received second-team honors.

The Sporting News is one of five services the NCAA uses to determine unanimous and consensus status. Alabama didn't have a first-team selection by the Associated Press or Walter Camp Foundation.

Waddle led the nation in punt return average by a wide margin at 24.9 yards per return with 19 returns for 474 yards and a touchdown.

The 2019 SEC Special Teams Player of the Year also returned four kickoffs for 152 yards and a touchdown. He added 553 yards and six touchdowns on 32 catches as a wide receiver.

Sporting News 2019 All-American team

First-team Offense

QB: Joe Burrow, LSU

RB: Chuba Hubbard, Oklahoma State

RB: Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin

WR: CeeDee Lamb, Oklahoma

WR: Ja'Marr Chase, LSU

TE: Harrison Bryant, Florida Atlantic

OT: Penei Sewell, Oregon

G: Wyatt Davis, Ohio State

C: Tyler Biadasz, Wisconsin

G: John Simpson, Clemson

OT: Andrew Thomas, Georgia

ATH: Lynn Bowden Jr., Kentucky

First-team Defense

DL: Chase Young, Ohio State

DL: Derrick Brown, Auburn

DL: James Lynch, Baylor

DL: Bradlee Anae, Utah

LB: Isaiah Simmons, Clemson

LB: Curtis Weaver, Boise State

LB: Evan Weaver, Cal

CB: Jeff Okudah, Ohio State

CB: Derek Stingley Jr., LSU

S: Antoine Winfield Jr., Minnesota

S: Grant Delpit, LSU

First-team Special Teams

K: Keith Duncan, Iowa

P: Max Duffy, Kentucky

RET: Jaylen Waddle, Alabama

Second-Team Offense

QB: Jalen Hurts, Oklahoma
RB: J.K. Dobbins, Ohio State
RB: Travis Etienne, Clemson
WR: DeVonta Smith, Alabama
WR: Omar Bayless, Arkansas State
TE: Brycen Hopkins, Purdue
OT: Jedrick Wills Jr., Alabama
G: Kevin Dotson, Louisiana
C: Creed Humphrey, Oklahoma
G: Shane Lemieux, Oregon
OT: Mekhi Becton, Louisville
ATH: Kenneth Gainwell, Memphis

Second-team Defense

DL: Marlon Davidson, Auburn
DL: Jaylen Twyman, Pitt
DL: Quincy Roche, Temple
DL: Gregory Rousseau, Miami
LB: Treshaun Hayward, Western Michigan
LB: Micah Parsons, Penn State
LB: Zack Baun, Wisconsin
CB: Trevon Diggs, Alabama
CB: Amik Robertson, Louisiana Tech
S: Xavier McKinney, Alabama
S: J.R. Reed, Georgia

Second-team Special Teams

K: Rodrigo Blankenship, Georgia
P: Braden Mann, Texas A&M
RET: Joe Reed, Virginia