WACO, Texas -- Baylor's Jason Smith was among 25 student-athletes named to the 2008 Football Writers Association of America All-America Team, announced Saturday on ABC. Smith is the 45th Baylor student-athlete to earn All-America honors and Baylor's first since punter Daniel Sepulveda in 2006.
A product of W.T. White High School in Dallas, Texas, Smith anchored a Baylor offensive line this year that produced 2,349 yards and 29 touchdowns rushing. The Bears ranked 25th nationally and third in the Big 12 with 195.8 rushing yards per game. Baylor's rushing touchdown total was its best since 1994, the third-best season total in school history and one shy of the school record.
Smith, a projected first-round pick in April's National Football League Draft, is Baylor's first non-special teams All-American since safety Adrian Robinson in 1995. He is Baylor's first All-America offensive lineman since guard Frank Ditta in 1980 and Baylor's first All-America offensive tackle since Mike Hughes in 1975. Smith also was named third-team All-America by Rivals.com.
A 2008 unanimous first-team All-Big 12 Conference selection, Smith was one of seven Big 12 athletes on the FWAA team; he joined defensive lineman Brian Orakpo (Texas), quarterback Colt McCoy (Texas), running back Kendall Hunter (Oklahoma State), offensive guard Duke Robinson (Oklahoma), tight end Chase Coffman (Missouri) and wide receiver Michael Crabtree (Texas Tech).
ALL-TIME BAYLOR FOOTBALL ALL-AMERICANS
Wesley Bradshaw, halfback 1921
Barton Koch, guard 1930
Frank James, end 1933
Jim Tom Petty, end 1933
Joe Jack Pearce, back 1933
Billy Patterson, quarterback 1938
Sam Boyd, end 1938
Bob Nelson, center 1940
Jack Russell, end 1940
Jack Wilson, halfback 1940
J.D. Ison, end 1949
Adrian Burk, quarterback 1949
Bill Athey, defensive guard 1951
Ken Casner, defensive tackle 1951
Stanley Williams, end 1951
Larry Isbell, quarterback 1951
Jerry Coody, halfback 1952
L.G. Dupre, halfback 1952
Jack Sisco, center 1952
James Ray Smith, offensive tackle 1953, 1954
Bill Glass, offensive guard 1956
Ronnie Bull, halfback 1960, 1961
Don Trull, quarterback 1963
Lawrence Elkins, flanker 1963, 1964
Greg Pipes, defensive tackle 1967
Roger Goree, defensive tackle 1972
Derrel Luce, linebacker 1974
Aubrey Schulz, center 1974
Mike Hughes, offensive tackle 1975
Gary Green, defensive back 1976
Gary Don Johnson, nose guard 1976
Mike Singletary, linebacker 1978, 1979, 1980
Frank Ditta, offensive guard 1980
Walter Abercrombie, running back 1980
Vann McElroy, free safety 1981
Charles Benson, defensive end 1982
Mark Adickes, offensive tackle 1983
Gerald McNeil, wide receiver 1983
Thomas Everett, free safety 1985, 1986
Robert Blackmon, strong safety 1989
James Francis, linebacker 1989
Santana Dotson, defensive tackle 1991
Adrian Robionson, safety 1995
Daniel Sepulveda, punter 2004, 2005, 2006
Jason Smith, offensive tackle 2008
2008 BAYLOR FOOTBALL POSTSEASON HONORS
James Barnard, OG
• Honorable Mention All-Big 12 Conference (The Associated Press)
Krys Buerck, CB
• Second-Team Academic All-Big 12 Conference
Rodney Chadwick, LB
• Baylor Defensive Bear Squad Award
Robert Griffin, QB
• Big 12 Conference Offensive Freshman of the Year (coaches, The Dallas Morning News, Waco Tribune-Herald)
• Big 12 Conference Offensive Newcomer of the Year (Associated Press, Kansas City Star)
• Big 12 Conference Newcomer of the Year (San Antonio Express-News)
• Big 12 Conference Freshman of the Year (Tim Griffin: ESPN.com, Pat Forde: SI.com, Rivals.com)
• Baylor Offensive MVP
Derek Epperson, P
• Second-Team All-Big 12 Conference (Kansas City Star, Waco Tribune-Herald)
• Third-Team All-Big 12 Conference (Phil Steele Magazine)
• Honorable Mention All-Big 12 Conference (coaches, The Associated Press)
• First-Team Academic All-Big 12 Conference
• Ray Guy Award semifinialist
• Baylor Special Teams MVP
Ty Findley, LB
• First-Team Academic All-Big 12 Conference
Kirby Freeman, QB
• Baylor Kyle Woods Award
Dan Gay, OT
• Honorable Mention All-Big 12 Conference (coaches)
Ben Hixson, LB
• First-Team Academic All-Big 12 Conference
Jake Jackson, OL
• Baylor Offensive Bear Squad Award
Jacoby Jones, RB
• First-Team Academic All-Big 12 Conference
Tyler King, LB
• First-Team Academic All-Big 12 Conference
Jake La Mar, S
• Second-Team Academic All-Big 12 Conference
Jordan Lake, FS
• First-Team All-Big 12 Conference (coaches, The Associated Press, San Antonio Express-News, Waco Tribune-Herald)
• Second-Team All-Big 12 Conference (The Dallas Morning News, Kansas City Star, Phil Steele Magazine)
• Second-Team Academic All-Big 12 Conference
Jason Lamb, DE
• First-Team Academic All-Big 12 Conference
Gary Mason Jr., DE
• Baylor Defensive Bear Squad Award
Zak Mitchell, S
• First-Team Academic All-Big 12 Conference
Joe Pawelek, LB
• Second-Team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America (CoSIDA)
• First-Team All-Big 12 Conference (unanimous)
• First-Team Academic All-Big 12 Conference
• Baylor Defensive MVP
• Baylor Academic Excellence Award
Ryan Roberts, QB
• First-Team Academic All-Big 12 Conference
Zac Scotton, DE
• First-Team Academic All-Big 12 Conference
Sam Shalala, LB
• Second-Team Academic All-Big 12 Conference
Sam Sledge, DT
• Second-Team Academic All-Big 12 Conference
Jason Smith, OT
• First-Team All-America (FWAA)
• Third-Team All-America (Rivals.com)
• First-Team All-Big 12 Conference (unanimous)
• Baylor "Mr. Team" Award
• Baylor Off-Season Co-MVP
J.D. Walton, C
• Honorable Mention All-Big 12 Conference (The Associated Press)
John David Weed, TE
• First-Team Academic All-Big 12 Conference
Thomas White, WR
• Baylor Off-Season Co-MVP
Terrance Williams, WR
• Baylor Offensive Bear Squad Award
