Three Gators Garner Sporting News Honors
Wednesday, December 17, 2014 | Football
Three Gators earned 2014 Sporting News College Football honors, as announced by Sporting News Wednesday. Vernon Hargreaves III was selected to the All-America First Team and will be honored with a brick in the walkway outside of Florida's James W. “Bill” Heavener Football Complex. Dante Fowler, Jr. was named to the All-America Second Team, while Jalen Tabor tabbed All-True Freshman honors.
Hargreaves racked up 45 tackles this season, with two interceptions and a league-leading 13 passes broken up, besting his record-setting 11 pass break ups recorded last season, which equaled the most by a true freshman in school history, matching Janoris Jenkins' total in 2008.
Hargreaves leads the SEC with 13 pass breakups, tying him for 11th nationally. The Tampa native recorded a season-high eight tackles during the Gators' 38-20 win over Georgia on Nov. 1, and registered an interception in both of Florida's games in the state of Tennessee (Oct. 4 at Tennessee, Nov. 8 at Vanderbilt). The two-time All-American also posted a career-best four pass breakups in Florida's overtime win against Kentucky on Sept. 13, and has recovered two fumbles on the year. The sophomore standout was recently named to both the AP and Coaches' All-SEC First Team, the CBS Sports All-America First Team, the Walter Camp All-America Second Team, the Associated Press All-America Second Team, the SI.com All-America Second Team and the Fox Sports All-America Team.
Fowler ranks 12th in the Southeastern Conference with 5.5 sacks. He also is tied for 10th in the league and tied for 77th nationally with a team-leading 12.0 tackles for loss. The St. Petersburg native recorded his best game of the year on Oct. 11 against LSU, when he had 11 total tackles (four solo) and a sack. Fowler also has forced two fumbles and recovered one during the 2014 campaign. Additional awards earned this season include All-SEC Honorable Mention (AP), All-SEC First Team (Coaches), Walter Camp All-America Second Team and SI.com All-America Honorable Mention.
Tabor appeared in all 11 games for Florida this year and earned four starts, totaling 28 tackles (19 unassisted) with four tackles-for-loss, two sacks and seven pass breakups. The Washington, D.C., native excelled in the Gators' two trips to the state of Tennessee, recording a sack, forced fumble and fumble recovery on Oct. 4 at Tennessee before notching his first career interception on a memorable one-handed catch in Nashville. Tabor was named SEC Co-Freshman of the Week on Oct. 6 and made the Freshman All-SEC Team in his rookie campaign.
Coach of Year: Gary Patterson, TCU
Player of Year: Marcus Mariota, Oregon
All-American
First Team
Offense
QB Marcus Mariota, Oregon
RB Melvin Gordon, Wisconsin
RB Tevin Coleman, Indiana
WR Amari Cooper, Alabama
WR Kevin White, West Virginia
TE Maxx Williams, Minnesota
T Brandon Scherff, Iowa
T Andrus Peat, Stanford
G A.J. Cann, South Carolina
G Tre Jackson, Florida State
C Hroniss Grasu, Oregon
K Roberto Aguayo, Florida State
KR JJ Nelson, UAB
Defense
DT Danny Shelton, Washington
DT Malcom Brown, Texas
DE Joey Bosa, Ohio State
DE Shane Ray, Missouri
LB Scooby Wright, Arizona
LB Hau'oli Kikaha, Washington
LB Eric Kendricks, UCLA
CB Senquez Golson, Ole Miss
CB VERNON HARGREAVES III, FLORIDA
S Landon Collins, Alabama
S Gerod Holliman, Louisville
P JK Scott, Alabama
PR Kaelin Clay, Utah
Second Team
Offense
QB J.T. Barrett, Ohio State
RB Jay Ajayi, Boise State
RB James Conner, Pittsburgh
WR Rashard Higgins, Colorado State
WR Jaelen Strong, Arizona State
TE Nick O'Leary, Florida State
T Rob Havenstein, Wisconsin
T Spencer Drango, Baylor
G Ari Kouandjio, Alabama
G Laken Tomlinson, Duke
C Reese Dismukes, Auburn
K Brad Craddock, Maryland
KR Alex Ross, Oklahoma
Defense
DT Robert Nkemdiche, Ole Miss
DT Michael Bennett, Ohio State
DE Nate Orchard, Utah
DE DANTE FOWLER, JR., FLORIDA
LB Benardrick McKinney, Mississippi State LB Mike Hull, Penn State LB Shaq Thompson, Washington CB Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, Oregon CB Trae Waynes, Michigan State S Jalen Ramsey, Florida State S Cody Prewitt, Ole Miss P Tom Hackett, Utah PR De'Mornay Pierson-El, Nebraska
All-True Freshman
Offense
QB Brad Kaaya, Miami
RB Dalvin Cook, Florida State
RB Samaje Perine, Oklahoma
WR KD Cannon, Baylor
WR JuJu Smith, USC
TE Chad Olsen, Fresno State
OL Cameron Robinson, Alabama
OL Toa Lobendahn, USC
OL Frank Ragnow, Arkansas
OL Mason Cole, Michigan
OL Tejan Koroma, BYU
K Trevor Moore, North Texas
KR Boom Williams, Kentucky
Defense
DL Marquis Haynes, Ole Miss
DL Myles Garrett, Texas A&M
DL Derek Barnett, Tennessee
DL KeShun Freeman, Georgia Tech
LB Raekwon McMillan, Ohio State
LB Nigel Bowden, Vanderbilt
LB Nyles Morgan, Notre Dame
CB JALEN TABOR, FLORIDA
CB Adoree Jackson, USC
S Quin Blanding, Virginia
S Jamal Adams, LSU
P JK Scott, Alabama
PR De'Mornay Pierson-El, Nebraska
