Eric Gentry Earns Consensus Freshman All-America Honors
On Monday, Arizona State Sun Devils linebacker Eric Gentry was named to the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) All-America team.
Gentry, a 6-foot-6 linebacker with freakish size and athleticism for the position, was the lone Sun Devil to make the FWAA's freshman All-America team.
Gentry now becomes a consensus freshman All-America pick, having received the honor from a majority of national publications.
ESPN, Pro Football Focus, 247 Sports and Pro Football Network each gave the distinction to Gentry in addition to the FWAA, making him the first consensus freshman All-America player at Arizona State since 2018, according to Sun Devil Athletics.
"Not only has he produced statistically, he is rated extremely well by Pro Football Focus. Gentry is the second-highest graded true freshman linebacker overall on defense in the FBS," the said school in the official press release.
"He has displayed a well-rounded game, equally as effective in coverage as he is in the run game. PFF rates him as the second-highest graded true freshman linebacker in coverage in the the FBS (76.0). Gentry has been credited with only five missed tackles, tied for 9th among true freshmen FBS linebackers with 250+ snaps. That is tied for fourth-fewest missed tackles of any linebacker in the Pac-12 with 250+ snaps. Regardless of year, PFF rates him as the fifth-highest graded Pac-12 linebacker."
Gentry played in all 13 games for Arizona State this past season, amassing 45 tackles, five tackles for loss, two passes defensed and one sack in a limited role.
Now, with a considerable amount of veteran talent leaving ASU's linebacking corps, Gentry is expected to see his role grow as a full-time starter in 2022.
If his first season on campus was any indication of what's to come, Gentry is on a trajectory of NFL-worthy play in the next two seasons at Arizona State, providing an exciting presence for ASU fans to cheer for moving forward.