DeKALB, Ill. – Northern Illinois University defensive end Sutton Smith collected his second major national first team All-America honor Monday when he was named to the Football Writer’s Association of America (FWAA) All-America team. In addition, Smith, who leads the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) in quarterback sacks and tackles for loss, earned a spot on the Associated Press’ second team All-America squad on Monday
Smith joins running back LeShon Johnson (1993) and cornerback Shawun Lurry (2015) as the only NIU players ever chosen to the FWAA All-America team, which named its 74th team on Monday. The FWAA All-America team dates back to 1944, and the organization added a second team for the first time in 2012.
The sophomore from St. Charles, Mo. is the fifth player in NIU history to make the Associated Press first or second team, and is the first Huskie defender on the list. Previously, NIU’s only first or second team AP All-Americans were Jordan Lynch (2nd team in 2012, 1st team in 2013), Michael Turner (2nd in 2003) and Johnson (1st in 1993). Five more NIU players have been named to the Associated Press’ third team All-America squad.
Last week, Smith became NIU’s second first team Walter Camp All-American and also picked up first team honors from PFF and The All-American website, while SI.com listed the NIU defensive end on its second team.
Smith is one of two Mid-American Conference players on the 2017 FWAA first team, along with Western Michigan offensive tackle Chukwuma Okorafor. He is one of four sophomores to earn first team honors.
In 2017, he broke an NIU school record for single season tackles for loss that stood at 20 since 1984 and finished the regular season with 28.5 TFLs. NIU’s single season mark for quarterback sacks also fell by the wayside with the old mark of 12 held by Scott Kellar (1984) and Larry English (2006), surpassed by Smith’s 14 sacks in 2017.
The 2017 MAC Defensive Player of the Year, who was also a finalist for the Ted Hendricks Award as the nation’s best defensive end, Smith is 3.5 tackles for loss away from the NCAA single season record of 32, set by Western Michigan’s Jason Babin in 2003. He and the Huskies will close out the season in the 2017 Quick Lane Bowl at Ford Field in Detroit when they take on Duke on Tuesday, Dec. 26.
More than half of Smith’s 56 total tackles in 2017 went for losses. He scored on a 16-yard strip, sack and fumble return versus Bowling Green on October 21 and picked up a fumble and ran 58 yards for a score versus Western Michigan. He also ranks fourth nationally in fumble recoveries with three on the year and his 73 quarterback pressures lead the nation.
“Sutton’s play was a key spark to our defense having as great a year that we had, from the sense we didn’t have to cover guys as long,” NIU Head Coach Rod Carey said last week. “We’ve been disruptive all year as a defense and he led the charge in creating turnovers – both fumbles and forcing interceptions.”
The Football Writers Association of America, a non-profit organization founded in 1941, consists of more than 1,300 men and women who cover college football. The membership includes journalists, broadcasters and publicists, as well as key executives in all the areas that involve the game. For seven decades the FWAA has selected an All-America team with the help of its members and an All-America Committee, which represents all the regions in the country. From that All-America team, the FWAA also selects the Outland Trophy winner (best interior lineman) and the Bronko Nagurski Trophy winner (best defensive player).
Tickets to the 2017 Quick Lane Bowl are on sale now through NIU for $50 each by calling 815-753-PACK (7225), online at NIUHuskies.com/myhuskies or in person at the Athletics Ticket Office in the Convocation Center. Every ticket purchased through NIU helps the Huskies Information on fan packages to the bowl through the NIU Alumni Association are available online at myniu.com/bowl/.
