Ahmad Gardner, Coby Bryant Named First-Team All-America by AFCA

Gardner is now a first-team selection on every major All-America list recognized by the NCAA.

Author:
Russ Heltman
Updated:
Dec 15, 2021 4:01 PM EST

CINCINNATI — The final shoe dropped in Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner's path to being a consensus All-American. He and Coby Bryant were both named first-team All-America by the American Football Coaches Association of America. Gardner is set to join punter Kevin Huber (2007-08) and kicker Jonathan Ruffin (2000) as the only consensus All-Americans in UC history, and the first non-special teams player to do it.

Gardner needed nods from five major evaluators, and he captured all five. He collected first-team honors from the AFCA, FWAA, Sporting News, USA Today, and AP. Those are the five outlets recognized for consensus All-American status by the NCAA.

The junior is also a first-team selection on CBS Sports, ESPN, and The Athletic's All-America lists. According to PFF, Gardner has not allowed more than 20 receiving yards in a game this season and hasn't given up a touchdown.

Bryant had been slotting in behind Gardner on the second-team across many lists but Walter Camp and the AFCA bumped him to the top of theirs. The senior is second in UC history with 45 passes defended.

Bryant and Gardner are both relevant in the upcoming NFL Draft. The former is hovering near the top-10 at his position, while Gardner is a consensus first-round pick. They'll try to bolster that draft stock further with a shutdown showing against Alabama in the Cotton Bowl on Dec. 31.

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