Sweat Becomes First MSU First-Team All-American Since 2014
December 10, 2018 | Football
by Brandon Langlois, Associate Director/Communications
STARKVILLE – One of the nation's top sack leaders, Mississippi State senior defensive end Montez Sweat became the Bulldogs' eighth Football Writers Association of America All-American in program history Monday night when the 75th annual FWAA All-America Team was revealed.
Sweat, from Stone Mountain, Georgia, is MSU's first first-team FWAA All-American since linebacker Benardrick McKinney in 2014. The selection marked Sweat's third All-America honor of the 2018 postseason. He had already earned second-team nods from The Associated Press and Sports Illustrated.
One of the most feared edge rushers in America, Sweat had 11 sacks on the season, tied for sixth in the nation and second in the Southeastern Conference, giving him double-digit sacks for the second straight year after registering an SEC-tying best 10.5 in 2017.
Sweat helped the Bulldogs' defensive unit finish the regular season ranked No. 1 in the FBS in scoring defense (12.0), fewest touchdowns allowed (12), yards per play allowed (4.14), pass efficiency defense (97.26), red-zone touchdown percentage (25.0) and fewest 50+ yard plays allowed (0). MSU was the only school in the nation to rank inside the top 10 in the FBS in scoring defense (1st – 12.0), rushing defense (10th – 104.25), passing defense (6th – 164.2) and total defense (3rd – 268.4).
A two-time national defensive player of the week selection, Sweat turned in 51 total tackles, including 13.5 for loss, and racked up 40 total pressures. He had at least one sack in seven games and multiple sacks in five games.
Sweat ranks sixth in MSU history in career sacks with 21.5 and owns the seventh and eighth spots in the single-season top 10.
Since 1945, the FWAA All-America Team has been among the five teams used to formulate the NCAA's annual consensus All-America team, which will be announced later this week. Since the 2002 season, the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), The Associated Press, The Sporting News and the Walter Camp Football Foundation have joined the FWAA as the five designated selectors by the NCAA.
The FWAA's All-America Committee selected this 75th annual team based on nominations from the entire membership. This is just the sixth season in the modern era (post-1950) that the FWAA has named a second team.
For more information on the Bulldogs, follow the MSU football team on Twitter, like them on Facebook and join them on Instagram by searching for "HailStateFB." All-access coverage is also available on SnapChat by searching for "HailStateSnap.
All-Time Mississippi State FWAA All-America Honors
1953 – Jackie Parker, Sr., B
1954 – Hal Easterwood, Sr., C
1955 – Art Davis, Sr., B
1981 – Johnie Cooks, Sr., LB
2012 – Johnthan Banks, Sr., DB
2013 – Gabe Jackson, Sr., OL (second team)
2014 – Benardrick McKinney, Jr., LB (first team)
2018 – Montez Sweat, Sr., DE (first team)
Multiple teams began being selected in 2013
Mississippi State's 2018 Postseason All-America Honors
Johnathan Abram, Sr., S
The Athletic (second team)
Sports Illustrated (second team)
Associated Press (third team)
Elgton Jenkins, Sr., OL
The Athletic (first team)
Jeffery Simmons, Jr., DT
The Athletic (second team)
Associated Press (third team)
Montez Sweat, Sr., DE
Sports Illustrated (second team)
Associated Press (second team)
Football Writers Association of America (first team)
2018 FWAA All-America Team
FIRST TEAM
Offense
QB: Kyler Murray, Oklahoma
RB: Darrell Henderson, Memphis
RB: Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin
WR: Andy Isabella, Massachusetts
WR: Antoine Wesley, Texas Tech
TE: Jace Sternberger, Texas A&M
OL: Michael Deiter, Wisconsin
OL: Mitch Hyatt, Clemson
OL: Ben Powers, Oklahoma
OL: Jonah Williams, Alabama
C: Garrett Bradbury, N.C. State
Defense
DL: Ed Oliver, Houston
DL: Montez Sweat, Mississippi State
DL: Christian Wilkins, Clemson
DL: Quinnen Williams, Alabama
LB: Josh Allen, Kentucky
LB: Ben Burr-Kirven, Washington
LB: Devin Bush, Michigan
DB: Hamp Cheevers, Boston College
DB: Grant Delpit, LSU
DB: Julian Love, Notre Dame
DB: Greedy Williams, LSU
Specialists
K: Andre Szmyt, Syracuse
P: Braden Mann, Texas A&M
KR: Savon Scarver, Utah State
PR: Greg Dortch, Wake Forest
AP: Rondale Moore, Purdue
SECOND TEAM
Offense
QB: Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama
RB: Eno Benjamin, Arizona State
RB: Travis Etienne, Clemson
WR: A.J. Brown, Ole Miss
WR: Marquise Brown, Oklahoma
TE: T.J. Hockenson, Iowa
OL Yodny Cajuste, West Virginia;
OL Greg Little, Ole Miss;
OL Dalton Risner, Kansas State;
OL Calvin Throckmorton, Oregon;
C Sam Mustipher, Notre Dame
Defense
DL: Jaylon Ferguson, Louisiana Tech
DL: Sutton Smith, NIU
DL: Kenny Willekes, Michigan State
DL: Gerald Willis, Miami
LB: Chase Hansen, Utah
LB: Tre Watson, Maryland
LB: Devin White, LSU
DB: Paulson Adebo, Stanford
DB: Deandre Baker, Georgia
DB: Bryce Hall, Virginia
DB: Deionte Thompson, Alabama
Specialists
K: Matt Gay, Utah
P: James Smith, Cincinnati
KR: Deebo Samuel, South Carolina
PR: Michael Walker, Boston College
AP: Pooka Williams, Kansas
STARKVILLE – One of the nation's top sack leaders, Mississippi State senior defensive end Montez Sweat became the Bulldogs' eighth Football Writers Association of America All-American in program history Monday night when the 75th annual FWAA All-America Team was revealed.
Sweat, from Stone Mountain, Georgia, is MSU's first first-team FWAA All-American since linebacker Benardrick McKinney in 2014. The selection marked Sweat's third All-America honor of the 2018 postseason. He had already earned second-team nods from The Associated Press and Sports Illustrated.
One of the most feared edge rushers in America, Sweat had 11 sacks on the season, tied for sixth in the nation and second in the Southeastern Conference, giving him double-digit sacks for the second straight year after registering an SEC-tying best 10.5 in 2017.
Sweat helped the Bulldogs' defensive unit finish the regular season ranked No. 1 in the FBS in scoring defense (12.0), fewest touchdowns allowed (12), yards per play allowed (4.14), pass efficiency defense (97.26), red-zone touchdown percentage (25.0) and fewest 50+ yard plays allowed (0). MSU was the only school in the nation to rank inside the top 10 in the FBS in scoring defense (1st – 12.0), rushing defense (10th – 104.25), passing defense (6th – 164.2) and total defense (3rd – 268.4).
A two-time national defensive player of the week selection, Sweat turned in 51 total tackles, including 13.5 for loss, and racked up 40 total pressures. He had at least one sack in seven games and multiple sacks in five games.
Sweat ranks sixth in MSU history in career sacks with 21.5 and owns the seventh and eighth spots in the single-season top 10.
Since 1945, the FWAA All-America Team has been among the five teams used to formulate the NCAA's annual consensus All-America team, which will be announced later this week. Since the 2002 season, the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), The Associated Press, The Sporting News and the Walter Camp Football Foundation have joined the FWAA as the five designated selectors by the NCAA.
The FWAA's All-America Committee selected this 75th annual team based on nominations from the entire membership. This is just the sixth season in the modern era (post-1950) that the FWAA has named a second team.
For more information on the Bulldogs, follow the MSU football team on Twitter, like them on Facebook and join them on Instagram by searching for "HailStateFB." All-access coverage is also available on SnapChat by searching for "HailStateSnap.
All-Time Mississippi State FWAA All-America Honors
1953 – Jackie Parker, Sr., B
1954 – Hal Easterwood, Sr., C
1955 – Art Davis, Sr., B
1981 – Johnie Cooks, Sr., LB
2012 – Johnthan Banks, Sr., DB
2013 – Gabe Jackson, Sr., OL (second team)
2014 – Benardrick McKinney, Jr., LB (first team)
2018 – Montez Sweat, Sr., DE (first team)
Multiple teams began being selected in 2013
Mississippi State's 2018 Postseason All-America Honors
Johnathan Abram, Sr., S
The Athletic (second team)
Sports Illustrated (second team)
Associated Press (third team)
Elgton Jenkins, Sr., OL
The Athletic (first team)
Jeffery Simmons, Jr., DT
The Athletic (second team)
Associated Press (third team)
Montez Sweat, Sr., DE
Sports Illustrated (second team)
Associated Press (second team)
Football Writers Association of America (first team)
2018 FWAA All-America Team
FIRST TEAM
Offense
QB: Kyler Murray, Oklahoma
RB: Darrell Henderson, Memphis
RB: Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin
WR: Andy Isabella, Massachusetts
WR: Antoine Wesley, Texas Tech
TE: Jace Sternberger, Texas A&M
OL: Michael Deiter, Wisconsin
OL: Mitch Hyatt, Clemson
OL: Ben Powers, Oklahoma
OL: Jonah Williams, Alabama
C: Garrett Bradbury, N.C. State
Defense
DL: Ed Oliver, Houston
DL: Montez Sweat, Mississippi State
DL: Christian Wilkins, Clemson
DL: Quinnen Williams, Alabama
LB: Josh Allen, Kentucky
LB: Ben Burr-Kirven, Washington
LB: Devin Bush, Michigan
DB: Hamp Cheevers, Boston College
DB: Grant Delpit, LSU
DB: Julian Love, Notre Dame
DB: Greedy Williams, LSU
Specialists
K: Andre Szmyt, Syracuse
P: Braden Mann, Texas A&M
KR: Savon Scarver, Utah State
PR: Greg Dortch, Wake Forest
AP: Rondale Moore, Purdue
SECOND TEAM
Offense
QB: Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama
RB: Eno Benjamin, Arizona State
RB: Travis Etienne, Clemson
WR: A.J. Brown, Ole Miss
WR: Marquise Brown, Oklahoma
TE: T.J. Hockenson, Iowa
OL Yodny Cajuste, West Virginia;
OL Greg Little, Ole Miss;
OL Dalton Risner, Kansas State;
OL Calvin Throckmorton, Oregon;
C Sam Mustipher, Notre Dame
Defense
DL: Jaylon Ferguson, Louisiana Tech
DL: Sutton Smith, NIU
DL: Kenny Willekes, Michigan State
DL: Gerald Willis, Miami
LB: Chase Hansen, Utah
LB: Tre Watson, Maryland
LB: Devin White, LSU
DB: Paulson Adebo, Stanford
DB: Deandre Baker, Georgia
DB: Bryce Hall, Virginia
DB: Deionte Thompson, Alabama
Specialists
K: Matt Gay, Utah
P: James Smith, Cincinnati
KR: Deebo Samuel, South Carolina
PR: Michael Walker, Boston College
AP: Pooka Williams, Kansas
Players Mentioned
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DE
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