Two Jackets, one Bulldog named All-American

By Doug Roberson

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Georgia Tech placed two players and Georgia one on the Associated Press All-America team released on Tuesday.

Yellow Jackets defensive end Derrick Morgan and Bulldogs punter Drew Butler made the first-team. Tech wide receiver Demaryius Thomas made the third-team. Alabama led the nation with six players on the first-team.

Morgan, a defensive end, was sixth in the country with 12 1/2 sacks this season He was also named to the American Football Coaches Association and Walter Camp All-America teams earlier this month.

"It's a real humbling experience to receive such a honor," Morgan, a junior, said. "It's really paying off, all the hard work I've put in."

Butler led the nation in punting with a 48.84-yard average and net punting (42.8 yards per game). He was also named to the Football Writers Association of America, Camp and the AFCA All-America teams.

"It just goes to show that hard work pays off," Butler said recently of postseason recognition. "All of this is going to make me work even harder."

Thomas, a wide receiver, had 46 receptions for an ACC-best 1,154 yards and eight touchdowns.

"It's a great honor for those guys, they deserve it," Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson said. "They've worked really hard."

Other local players named to the first team included Tennessee defensive back Eric Berry (Fairburn) and South Carolina linebacker Eric Norwood (Acworth).