Ducks Sewell All American, Dec. 25

EUGENE, Ore. — The pantheon of unanimous all-Americans from Oregon, which until this week included just two players, now numbers three. Sophomore left tackle Penei Sewell, who last week won the Outland Trophy as college football’s best interior lineman, has joined LaMichael James and Marcus Mariota as the only unanimous all-America selections in UO history. The NCAA officially recognizes all-America teams assembled by five organizations: the Walter Camp Football Foundation, The Associated Press, The Sporting News, the American Football Coaches’ Association and the Football Writers Association of American. Making three of the teams gives a player consensus all-America status, and all five are necessary to become a unanimous choice. Sewell was named a WCFF all-American at the same College Football Awards Show where last week he received the Outland Trophy. That same day, the Cotton Bowl announced in conjunction with the FWAA that Sewell was a first-team choice of the writers’ organization. Then, this week Sewell was named a first-team all-American by the AP on Monday, The Sporting News on Tuesday and the AFCA on Wednesday. Oregon’s only other previous unanimous all-Americans were James in 2010, the year he won the Doak Walker Award as the nation’s top running back, and Mariota in 2014, when he was awarded the Heisman Trophy. Sewell graded out as the top offensive lineman in the nation by the scouts from Pro Football Focus — indeed their highest-graded player on offense at any position — and was named their Pac-12 player of the year. He was honored with the Morris Trophy as the conference’s best offensive lineman, as voted on by the Pac-12’s defensive linemen. Oregon now has eight players who have earned consensus all-America status or better. They include halfback Mel Renfro in 1962, defensive tackle Haloti Ngata in 2005, James along with returner Cliff Harris in 2010, running back Kenjon Barner in 2012, Mariota along with cornerback Ifo Ekpre-Olomu in 2014 and now Sewell.