Georgia football LB selected for FWAA Freshman All-American Team

Georgia football had a linebacker named to the FWAA Freshman All-American Team

No doubt Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs have been pulling in major talent from across the country and the Peach State during the past four years. Redshirt freshman Azeez Ojulari from Marietta, GA became the latest Dawg recognized for his talent and hard work as he was named to the FWAA Freshman All-American Team.

The 6’3″, 240-pound Ojulari had a breakout season for Georgia. The outside linebacker recorded 34 QB pressures, 36 tackles and 5.5 sacks this season. He had five tackles in the Sugar Bowl victory including a third-quarter QB sack and forcced fumble. Ojulari started 13 of 14 games for the SEC’s total defense, scoring defense and rushing defense leader.

Ojulari earned the respect of his teammates by becoming the first freshman player in the Kirby Smart era to be named a team captain. He is the 13th Bulldog to be selected for the team in the award’s 19 years.

Following the trend of colleges recruiting nationally, 18 of the 32 freshman honored played high school football out-of-state from their respective college. Georgia State offensive lineman Travis Glover from Vienna, GA, a former non-rated prep, was the only other Peach State prep to make the team. Following is a list of all the award winners:

2019 FWAA Freshman All-American Team

Quarterbacks

Sam Howell – North Carolina, 6-2  225  Indian Trail, NC

Kedon Slovis – USC, 6-2  200  Scottsdale, AZ

Running backs

Javian Hawkins – Louisville, 5-9  182  Titusville, FL

Sincere McCormick – Texas-San Antonio, 5-9  200  Converse, TX

Receivers

David Bell – Purdue, 6-2  210  Indianapolis, IN

C.J. Johnson – East Carolina, 6-2  229  Greenville, NC

Dante Wright – Colorado State, 5-10  165  Navarre, FL

Offensive Linemen

Evan Neal – Alabama, 6-7  360  Okeechobee, FL

O’Cyrus Torrence – Louisiana, 6-5  342  Greensburg, LA

Ikem Ekwonu – NC State, 6-4  308  Charlotte, NC

Sean Rhyan – UCLA, 6-4  323  Ladera Ranch, CA

Nick Rosi – Toledo, 6-4  290  Powell, OH

Travis Glover – Georgia State, 6-6  330  Vienna, GA

Defensive Linemen

Gregory Rousseau – Miami, 6-6  251  Coconut Creek, FL

George Karlaftis – Purdue, 6-4  265  West Lafayette, IN

Solomon Byrd – Wyoming, 6-4  243  Palmdale, CA

Kayvon Thibodeaux – Oregon, 6-5  242  South Central Los Angeles, CA

Linebackers

Devin Richardson – New Mexico State, 6-3  233  Klein, TX

Omar Speights – Oregon State, 6-1  233  Philadelphia, PA

Azeez Ojulari – Georgia, 6-3, 240 Marietta, GA

Shane Lee – Alabama, 6-0  246  Burtonsville, MD

Defensive Backs

Ar’Darius Washington – TCU, 5-8  175  Shreveport, LA

Derek Stingley Jr. – LSU, 6-1  190  Baton Rouge, LA

Kyle Hamilton – Notre Dame, 6-4  210  Atlanta, GA

Verone McKinley III – Oregon, 5-10  192  Carrollton, TX

Ahmad Gardner – Cincinnati, 6-2  185  Detroit, MI

Tykee Smith – West Virginia, 5-10  184  Philadelphia, PA

Punter

Austin McNamara – Texas Tech, 6-4  175  Gilbert, AZ

Kicker

Gabe Brkic – Oklahoma, 6-2  175  Chardon, OH

Kick returner

Joshua Youngblood – Kansas State, 5-10  180  Tampa, FL

Punt returner

Kyle Philips – UCLA, 5-11  181  San Marcos, CA

All-Purpose

Kenneth Gainwell – Memphis, 5-11  183  Yazoo City, MS

Player of the Year

Kenneth Gainwell, Memphis