Daniels, Nabers named first-team All-Americans by AFCA

BATON ROUGE – Heisman Trophy quarterback Jayden Daniels and wide receiver Malik Nabers added more honors to their growing postseason list of accolades as they have been tabbed as first-team All-Americas by the American Football Coaches Association.

The AFCA All-America team is voted on by the FBS head coaches.

Nabers has now been named first-team All-America by all five organizations who make up the consensus All-America team – AFCA, Football Writers Association of America, Associated Press, Sporting News and Walter Camp.

Daniels, who on Saturday became LSU’s third Heisman Trophy winner, earned his fourth first-team All-America honor and joins Joe Burrow – winner of the 2019 Heisman – as the most decorated players in school history. Daniels has been named winner of the Davey O’Brien Award, the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award as well as being selected as the Player of the Year by Walter Camp, Sporting News and AP.

Nabers led the nation in receiving yards with 1,546 and he finished second nationally in TD receptions with 14. He caught an SEC-best 86 passes and was first in the nation in plays of 20-plus and 30-plus yards.

Nabers had nine games with 100-yard receiving, which included a career-best 13 receptions for 239 yards and a pair of TDs in a win over Mississippi State in September. Nabers became LSU’s all-time receptions leader against Texas A&M with 186 catches, moving past Wendell Davis’ previous mark of 183.

Nabers enters the ReliaQuest Bowl just 17 yards shy of becoming only the second 3,000-yard receiver in school history and needing only 19 yards to break the school-record of 3,001 held by Josh Reed.

Daniels set numerous records during his senior season with the Tigers as he became the first player in FBS history to rush for 200 yards and pass for 350 yards in a game when he did it in the win over Florida. Against the Gators, Daniels rushed for 234 yards and passed for 372 yards breaking the SEC record for total offense with 606 yards.

Daniels leads the nation in total offense (412.2) and he’s on pace to join Burrow as the only players in SEC history to average 400 yards of offense in a single-season. Burrow averaged 402.6 in 2019. He would also become only the 20th player in FBS history to average 400 yards per game.

Daniels leads the nation in passing TDs (40), TDs responsible for (50) and rushing yards by a quarterback (1,134). His pass efficiency rating of 208.01 is the highest in FBS history.

–30—

Lsu.fball

12-14-23

Contact: Michael Bonnette

225.241.4845

mbonnet@lsu.edu

@LSUBonnette

2023 AFCA FBS Coaches’ All-America Team – First Team

Offense

Pos

Name

Ht.

Wt.

Cl.

School

Coach

Hometown (High School)

WR

*Marvin Harrison Jr.

6-4

205

Jr.

Ohio State

Ryan Day

Philadelphia, Pa. (St. Joseph’s Prep)

WR

Malik Nabers

6-0

200

Jr.

LSU

Brian Kelly

Youngsville, La. (Southside)

TE

*Brock Bowers

6-4

240

Jr.

Georgia

Kirby Smart

Napa, Calif. (Napa)

OL

*Joe Alt

6-8

322

Jr.

Notre Dame

Marcus Freeman

North Oaks, Minn. (Totino-Grace)

OL

Cooper Beebe

6-4

335

Sr.

Kansas State

Chris Klieman

Kansas City, Kan. (Piper)

C

Jackson Powers-Johnson

6-3

320

Jr.

Oregon

Dan Lanning

Draper, Utah (Corner Canyon)

OL

Zak Zinter

6-6

322

Sr.

Michigan

Jim Harbaugh

North Andover, Mass. (Browne & Nichols School)

OL

Olumuyiwa Fashanu

6-6

317

Jr.

Penn State

James Franklin

Waldorf, Md. (Gonzaga College HS)

QB

Jayden Daniels

6-4

210

Sr.

LSU

Brian Kelly

San Bernardino, Calif. (Cajon)

RB

*Blake Corum

5-8

213

Sr.

Michigan

Jim Harbaugh

Marshall, Va. (St. Frances Academy)

RB

Ollie Gordon II

6-1

211

So.

Oklahoma State

Mike Gundy

Fort Worth, Tex. (Euless Trinity)

Defense

Pos

Name

Ht.

Wt.

Cl.

School

Coach

Hometown (High School)

DL

Jared Verse

6-4

260

R-Jr.

Florida State

Mike Norvell

Dayton, Ohio (Central Columbia)

DL

T’Vondre Sweat

6-4

362

Sr.

Texas

Steve Sarkisian

Huntsville, Tex. (Huntsville)

DL

Laiatu Latu

6-5

265

Sr.

UCLA

Chip Kelly

Sacramento, Calif. (Jesuit)

DL

Jer’Zhan Newton

6-2

295

Jr.

Illinois

Bret Bielema

St. Petersburg, Fla. (Clearwater Central Catholic)

LB

Dallas Turner

6-4

252

Jr.

Alabama

Nick Saban

Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (St. Thomas Aquinas)

LB

Payton Wilson

6-4

238

Gr.

NC State

Dave Doeren

Hillsborough, N.C. (Orange)

LB

Edgerrin Cooper

6-3

230

Jr.

Texas A&M

Elijah Robinson

Covington, La. (Covington)

DB

Cooper DeJean

6-1

207

Jr.

Iowa

Kirk Ferentz

Odebolt, Iowa (OA-BCIG)

DB

Trey Taylor

6-0

210

Sr.

Air Force

Troy Calhoun

Frisco, Tex. (Lone Star)

DB

Xavier Watts

5-11

204

Jr.

Notre Dame

Marcus Freeman

Omaha, Neb. (Burke)

DB

Malaki Starks

6-1

205

So.

Georgia

Kirby Smart

Jefferson, Ga. (Jefferson)

Specialists

Pos

Name

Ht.

Wt.

Cl.

School

Coach

Hometown (High School)

P

Tory Taylor

6-4

232

Sr.

Iowa

Kirk Ferentz

Melbourne, Australia (Haileybury College)

PK

Graham Nicholson

6-0

185

Jr.

Miami (Ohio)

Chuck Martin

Cincinnati, Ohio (Summit Country Day)

AP

Travis Hunter

6-1

185

So.

Colorado

Deion Sanders

Suwanee, Ga. (Collins Hill)

LS

James Rosenberry Jr.

6-0

230

R-Sr.

Florida State

Mike Norvell

Delaware, Ohio (Olentangy)

*–2022 AFCA All-American

2023 AFCA FBS Coaches’ All-America Team – Second Team

Offense

Pos

Name

Ht.

Wt.

Cl.

School

Coach

Hometown (High School)

WR

Malik Washington

5-8

194

Gr.

Virginia

Tony Elliott

Lawrenceville, Ga. (Parkview)

WR

Rome Odunze

6-3

215

Jr.

Washington

Kalen DeBoer

Las Vegas, Nev. (Bishop Gorman)

TE

Dallin Holker

6-4

235

Jr.

Colorado State

Jay Norvell

Lehi, Utah (Lehi)

OL

Graham Barton

6-5

314

Sr.

Duke

Mike Elko

Brentwood, Tenn. (Ravenwood)

OL

Taliese Fuaga

6-6

334

Jr.

Oregon State

Jonathan Smith

Tacoma, Wash. (Mount Tahoma)

C

Sedrick Van Pran

6-4

310

Jr.

Georgia

Kirby Smart

New Orleans, La. (Warren Easton)

OL

Troy Fautanu

6-4

317

Jr.

Washington

Kalen DeBoer

Henderson, Nev. (Liberty)

OL

Kelvin Banks Jr.

6-4

324

So.

Texas

Steve Sarkisian

Humble, Tex. (Summer Creek)

QB

Michael Penix Jr.

6-3

213

Sr.

Washington

Kalen DeBoer

Tampa, Fla. (Tampa Bay Tech)

RB

Cody Schrader

5-9

214

Gr.

Missouri

Eliah Drinkwitz

St. Louis, Mo. (Lutheran South)

RB

Omarion Hampton

6-0

220

So.

North Carolina

Mack Brown

Clayton, N.C. (Cleveland)

Defense

Pos

Name

Ht.

Wt.

Cl.

School

Coach

Hometown (High School)

DL

Jalen Green

6-1

245

Sr.

James Madison

Curt Cignetti

Baltimore, Md. (Good Counsel)

DL

Kris Jenkins

6-3

305

Sr.

Michigan

Jim Harbaugh

Olney, Md. (Our Lady Good Counsel)

DL

JT Tuimoloau

6-4

270

Jr.

Ohio State

Ryan Day

Edgewood, Wash. (Eastside Catholic)

DL

Jonah Elliss

6-2

246

Jr.

Utah

Kyle Whittingham

Moscow, Idaho (Moscow Senior)

LB

Jeremiah Trotter Jr.

6-0

230

Jr.

Clemson

Dabo Swinney

Hainesport, N.J. (St. Joseph’s (Pa.) Preparatory)

LB

Jay Higgins

6-2

233

Sr.

Iowa

Kirk Ferentz

Indianapolis, Ind. (Brebeuf Jesuit Prep)

LB

Trey Moore

6-3

235

R-So.

UTSA

Jeff Traylor

San Antonio, Tex. (Smithson Valley)

DB

Terrion Arnold

6-0

196

R-So.

Alabama

Nick Saban

Tallahassee, Fla. (John Paul II Catholic)

DB

Quinyon Mitchell

6-0

196

Jr.

Toledo

Jason Candle

Williston, Fla. (Williston)

DB

*Kool-Aid McKinstry

6-1

195

Jr.

Alabama

Nick Saban

Birmingham, Ala. (Pinson Valley)

DB

Beanie Bishop Jr.

5-10

184

R-Sr.

West Virginia

Neal Brown

Louisville, Ky. (Pleasure Ridge Park)

Specialists

Pos

Name

Ht.

Wt.

Cl.

School

Coach

Hometown (High School)

P

James Ferguson-Reynolds

6-2

183

So.

Boise State

Spencer Danielson

Geelong, Australia (SEDA College)

PK

Jose Pizano

5-9

220

Sr.

UNLV

Barry Odom

Lehi, Utah (Lehi)

AP

Xavier Worthy

6-1

172

Jr.

Texas

Steve Sarkisian

Fresno, Calif. (Central East)

LS

*Joe Shimko

6-0

230

Gr.

NC State

Dave Doeren

Belmar, N.J. (Wall Township)

*–2022 AFCA All-American #-2021 AFCA Division II All-American