The Georgia Bulldogs placed a nation-high three players on the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) Freshman All-America team.
Offensive linemen Cade Mays and Isaiah Wilson, along with defensive lineman Jordan Davis, were among the six SEC players on the 32-member freshman team.
Central Florida’s Josh Heupel was selected as the First-Year Coach of the Year.
Mays and Wilson helped pave the way for the Bulldogs to lead the SEC in rushing and earn finalist status for the Joe Moore Award, which recognizes the best offensive line in college football.
“Cade Mays plays the game the way it was meant to be played — he’s a nasty, physical offensive lineman,” said Cole Cubelic, a former Auburn offensive lineman and member of the Joe Moore Award panel. “It was impressive to watch him thrive the way he did when called upon with no collegiate experience.
“Wilson is as impressive of a physical specimen as you will see, and he made huge strides in his fundamentals this fall.”
Bulldogs offensive line coach Sam Pittman was among the 15 semifinalists for the Broyles Award, which recognizes the top college football assistant coach.
Last season, Georgia offensive tackle Andrew Thomas was on the FWAA Freshman All-American team, along with quarterback Jake Fromm.
Davis, a 6-foot-6, 320-pounder from Charlotte, N.C., emerged as a force for the Bulldogs as the season progressed.
“Jordan Davis helped fill a massive void left by John Atkins in the middle of the Georgia defense,” Cubelic said. “He’s big enough to anchor and play the run, yet he has the athletic ability to be able to move and be disruptive.”
Georgia’s defensive front showed considerable improvement from the start of the season through the SEC Championship Game.
The FWAA Freshman All-American team features an esteemed 13-member panel with a representative from each conference that nominates players.
Here’s a list of Georgia football players who have been named FWAA Freshman All-American players:
• RB Knowshon Moreno, 2007
• WR AJ Green, 2008
• TE Orson Charles, 2009
• RB Todd Gurley, 2012
• RB Nick Chubb, 2014
• TE Isaac Nauta, 2016
• PK Rodrigo Blankenship, 2016
• QB Jake Fromm, 2017
• OL Andrew Thomas, 2017
• OL Isaiah Wilson, 2018
• OL Cade Mays, 2018
• DL Jordan Davis, 2018
2018 FWAA Freshman All-American Team
First-Year Coach of the Year: Josh Heupel, UCF
Finalists: Jimbo Fisher, Texas A&M, Dan Mullen, Florida
OFFENSE
QB — Trevor Lawrence, Clemson, 6-6, 215, Cartersville, Ga. (true freshman)
QB — Adrian Martinez, Nebraska, 6-2, 220, Fresno, Calif. (true freshman)
RB — Jermar Jefferson, Oregon State, 5-11, 211, Harbor City, Calif. (true freshman)
RB — Anthony McFarland, Maryland, 5-8, 193, Hyattsville, Md. (redshirt freshman)
WR — Rondale Moore, Purdue, 5-9, 175, New Albany, Ind. (true freshman)
WR — Jaylen Waddle, Alabama, 5-10, 177, Houston, Texas (true freshman)
WR — Jayden Reed, Western Michigan, 6-0, 170, Aurora, Ill., (true freshman)
OL — James Empy Brigham Young, 6-4, 297, American Fork, UT (redshirt freshman)
OL — Isaiah Wilson, Georgia, 6-7, 340, Brooklyn, N.Y., (redshirt freshman)
OL — Cade Mays, Georgia, 6-6, 318, Knoxville, TN (true freshman)
OL — Keegan Cryder, Wyoming, 6-4, 291, Littleton, Colo., (redshirt freshman)
OL — Trace Clopton, So. Miss, 6-2, 290, Brookhaven, Miss. (true Freshman)
OL — Creed Humphrey, Oklahoma, 6-5, 325, Shawnee, Okla., (redshirt freshman)
AP — Pooka Williams Jr., Kansas, 5-10, 170, Marrero, La., (true freshman)
SPECIAL TEAMS
K – Andre Szmyt, Syracuse, 6-1, 195, Vernon Hills, Ill., (redshirt freshman)
P – Clayton Howell, Appalachian State, 6-0, 183, High Point, N.C., (redshirt freshman)
KR — K.J. Hamler, Penn State, 5-9, 173, Pontiac, Mich., (redshirt freshman)
PR – Marcus Hayes, New Mexico, 6-0, 199, Rockford, Ill., (redshirt freshman)
DEFENSE
DL — Juwuan Jones, WKU, 6-3, 270, Sugar Hill, Ga., (redshirt freshman)
DL — Jamal Hines, Toledo, 6-2, 216, Cincinnati, Ohio (true freshman)
DL — Austin Lewis, Liberty, 6-6, 230, Liberty, Jonesborough, Tenn. (true freshman)
DL — Jordan Davis, Georgia, 6-6, 320, Georgia, Charlotte, N.C. (true freshman)
LB — Mike Rose, Iowa State, 6-3, 228, Brecksville, Ohio (true freshman)
LB — Merlin Robertson, Arizona State, 6-3, 235, Gardena, Calif., (true freshman)
LB — Carlton Martial, Troy, 5-10, 216, Mobile, Ala., (redshirt freshman)
LB – Zaven Collins, Tulsa, 6-4, 250, Hominy, OK (redshirt freshman)
CB – Patrick Surtain Jr., Alabama, 6-2, 202, Plantation, Fla. (true freshman)
CB — Paulson Adebo, Stanford, 6-1, 189, Mansfield, Texas (redshirt freshman)
S — Andre Cisco, Syracuse, 6-0, 199, Valley Stream, N.Y., (true freshman)
S — Caden Sterns, Texas, 6-1, 192, Cibolo, Texas, (true freshman)
CB — Adrian Frye, Texas Tech, 6-1, 175, Houston, (redshirt freshman)
DB — Bryce Thompson, Tennessee, 5-11, 180, Irmo, S.C., (true freshman)
