Two Cal Players Named First-Team All-Pac-12 by Pro Football Focus
Two Cal defenders were named to the first-team All-Pac-12 squad by Pro Football Focus, which released its selections this week.
Cal safeties Elijah Hicks and Daniel Scott were both named to the first-team all-conference squad by PFF, which grades every play and combines that with advanced statistics to come up with its all-conference team.
This is not the official all-Pac-12 team voted on by the conference coaches. That all-conference team will be released on Tuesday.
But this is an impressive recognition for the two Cal players.
Hicks and Scott each has three interceptions this season, tying them for the second-most in the conference. Scott leads the team in tackles with 72, including 2.5 tackles for loss, while Hicks is second on squad in tackles with 65, and 5.5 of them were for losses. Hicks also forced three fumbles.
Two other Cal players -- guard Mcade Mettauer and outside linebacker Marqez Bimage -- were named to PFF's second-team all-conference squad, and wide receiver Trevon Clark and kick-returner Nikko Remigio were named to the third team.
The PFF results sometimes come under fire, but its method is a bit different and provides a different perspective.
For example, PFF named Oregon State's Chance Nolan the first-team all-Pac-12 quarterback, and did not have the Beavers B.J. Baylor, who leads the Pac-12 with 1,259 rushing yards, on its first-team squad. Baylor is not on the PFF second team either. The official all-Pac-12 team is likely to differ.
One final note: The PFF story says the 2021 college football season has officially come to a close. That would be news to Cal and USC, which meet for a regular-season game on Saturday night in Berkeley.
Here is PFF's first-team all-Pac-12 team:
QB Chance Nolan, Oregon State
RB Zach Charbonnet, UCLA
RB Rachaad White, Arizona State
WR Drake London, USC
WR Trevon Bradford, Oregon State
WR Devon Williams, Oregon
TE Benjamin Yurosek, Stanford
LT Lellen Diesch, Arizona State
LG Andrew Vorhees, USC
C Brett Neilon, USC
RG Liam Jimmons, USC
RT Braeden Daniels, Utah
.
DI Popo Aumavae, Oregon
DI Brandon Dorlus, Oregon
ED Kaydon Thibodeaux, Oregon
ED Mike Tafua, Utah
LB Dvin Lloyd, Utah
LB Nephi Sewell, Utah
CB Trent McDuffie, Washington
CB Kyler Gordon, Washington
S Elijah Hicks, Cal
S Daniel Scott, Cal
FLEX D Brendan Riley-Hiles, Washington
.
K Cole Becker, Colorado
P Ben Griffiths, USC
KR Mykael Wright, Oregon
PR Britain Covey, Utah
.
Cover photo of Elijah Hiks is by Stan Szeto, USA TODAY Sports
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Follow Jake Curtis of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jakecurtis53
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