Football's Nelson & Smith Garner All-America Honors
Thursday, November 30, 2006 | Football
University of Florida junior safety Reggie Nelson (Melbourne, Fla.) and junior cornerback Ryan Smith (Diamond Bar, Calif.) have been named first and third-team All-Americans, respectively, by Rivals.com, the outlet announced Thursday.
Nelson and Smith have combined to intercept 12 passes this season, a figure that ranks first nationally among defensive-back duos. The pair has also produced 95 tackles, 23 passes defended, four blocked punts and a fumble recovery for the Gators in 2006. With Nelson patrolling the middle and Smith working the outside, UF has six multi-interception games, including three three-pick games, this year.
With Thursday's All-America selection, Nelson continued to add to a season that has already seen him earn Nagurski Trophy (Outstanding Defensive Player) and Thorpe Award (Top Defensive Back) finalist honors. He stands fifth among UF players with 48 tackles, including 33 solo efforts, and his five interceptions rank third in the Southeastern Conference; he has also returned 12 punts for 93 yards (7.8 yards per return), in addition to blocking a pair of opponent punt attempts. Nelson collected the SEC Defensive Player of the Week award after Florida's win over Alabama on Sept. 30, during which he made five tackles, returned an interception 70 yards for a touchdown, recovered a fumble and broke up a pass. In October, the Melbourne, Fla., native took captured the Atlanta Journal Constitution's Defensive Player of the Half-Year honors, in addition to receiving a nod to CBS Sportsline's Halfway All-America team.
Smith, who leads the SEC and ranks fifth in the country with seven interceptions, has 47 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and 13 passes defended this season. Each of his seven picks have come since Sept. 30, giving him the national lead over that time span. After entering the season with just two career interceptions, Smith currently ranks second on Florida's single-season interceptions chart, and needs just two to tie Keiwan Ratliff's for the school record. He turned in one of his finest games in Florida's road win over SEC East foe Vanderbilt, registering a career-high 11 tackles, intercepting a pass and blocking a punt; his 10 solo tackles versus the Commodores are a single-game high for a UF player this season.
The pair are the first Gators to earn All-America honors (excluding Freshman All-Americans) from Rivals.com since 2003, when tight end Ben Troupe and Ratliff both garnered first-team recognition. Nelson and Smith are also the first Florida defensive-back tandem to earn All-America honors in the same year since safety Will White and cornerback Richard Fain did so in 1990.
Fourth-ranked Florida will take to the field at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta on Saturday, looking to win the seventh SEC title in school history when it faces No. 9 Arkansas. The game is scheduled to kickoff at 6 p.m. EST, and can be seen on CBS.
- UF -
