Cal Football: Jaydn Ott Earns Spot on PFF Freshman All-America Team
Cal running back Jaydn Ott was one of four Pac-12 players named to the Pro Football Focus Freshman All-America team.
Senior linebacker Jackson Sirmon was the lone Cal player chosen to PFF's All-Pac-12 first team. Wide receiver Jeremiah Hunter was selected to the second team while Ott and safety Daniel Scott were third-team choices.
Ott earned a spot by totaling 1,218 all-purpose yards — all of them via rush or pass reception — and scoring 10 touchdowns as a collegiate rookie for the Bears.
Of course, he got everyone’s attention by rushing for 274 yards in Cal’s 49-31 win over Arizona.
He struggled to compile big numbers in a series of games after that because of Cal’s offensive line issues. But he finished with 897 running yards — most ever by a Cal freshman — and had 321 yards on 46 receptions.
Ott’s rushing total was sixth-best in the Pac-12 and sixth among freshman nationwide. Oregon State freshman Damien Martinez ran for 970 yards and finished the season with six consecutive games of 100-plus yards while playing for a much more successful team.
Joining Ott on the PFF team at running back is Quinshon Judkins of Ole Miss, who is seventh nationally among all backs with 1,476 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns. Judkins has eight 100-yard outings, including 205 vs. Texas A&M and 214 vs. Arkansas.
Besides Judkins, no other freshman back had more than Ott’s 1,218 yards rushing and receiving.
Ott’s only other 100-yard rushing game besides Arizona was 104 yards vs. FCS foe UC Davis in the season opener. But he had five games with at least 100 all-purpose yards.
Also named to the PFF Freshman All-America team from the Pac-12 were wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan and right guard Jonah Savaiinaea, both of Arizona, and center Van Wells of Colorado.
McMillan caught 39 passes for 702 yards and eight TDs.
The all-freshman quarterback is Temple’s E.J. Warner, who passed for 3,028 yards with 18 touchdowns and 12 interceptions for the 3-9 Owls.
PFF restricts this team to true freshmen, excluding a redshirt freshman such as Cal wide receiver J.Michael Sturdivant, who had 65 receptions for 755 yards and seven touchdowns.
Cover photo of Cal running back Jaydn Ott by Kyle Terada, USA Today
Follow Jeff Faraudo of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jefffaraudo
