Ole Miss Trio Earns All-America Distinction

Robert Nkemdiche Photo by Joshua McCoy, Ole Miss Athletics

Juniors Robert Nkemdiche, Laquon Treadwell and Laremy Tunsil have been selected as members of the 126th Walter Camp All-America team, the nation’s oldest college football All-America squad. All three Rebels were named second team All-America at the Home Depot College Football Awards Thursday evening.

One year after Senquez Golson was tabbed the Rebels’ first Walter Camp All-American since 2008, Ole Miss landed three to this year’s team, tied for the second-most nationally by one school. Alabama led the way with five All-Americans, while Ole Miss joined Clemson, Michigan State, Ohio State and Stanford with a trio on the list.

While it’s his first All-America distinction from the Walter Camp Football Foundation, Nkemdiche is named an All-American for the second straight year. The junior defensive lineman earned the honor from multiple media outlets as a sophomore and collected freshman All-American accolades in 2013, his first season as a Rebel. With 29 tackles, 7.0 tackles for loss and 3.0 sacks, Nkemdiche has also been named second team All-SEC and a finalist for the Paul Hornung Award, given to the most versatile player in college football, this season. The Loganville, Georgia, native has three touchdowns on offense and a blocked field goal to go along with his dominating presence on the defensive side of the ball. Nkemdiche also collected two weekly SEC awards throughout the 2015 campaign.

Treadwell adds another honor to his spectacular 2015 season. A finalist for the Biletnikoff Award (outstanding receiver in college football) and the Conerly Trophy (best college football player in Mississippi), Treadwell made 76 catches for 1,082 yards and eight touchdowns to lead all Rebel receivers. The only receiver in the Southeastern Conference to eclipse 1,000 yards receiving, he was named first team All-SEC and ranks second in the league with 6.3 catches per game. Treadwell already holds school records for 100-yard receiving games in a season (6), including five straight, and consecutive games with a touchdown catch (6). The Crete, Illinois, native is closing in on the Ole Miss record for receptions and yards in a season as well as career receptions.

Just like Nkemdiche, Tunsil has earned All-America status for the second time in as many seasons; he was a second team honoree last year and was tabbed freshman All-America in 2013. After missing the first seven games this season, Tunsil has helped improve the already record-breaking Ole Miss offense. With the Lake City, Florida, native starting at left tackle, the Rebels have increased their rushing average over the last five contests. Without Tunsil, Ole Miss rushed for 167.1 yards per game but saw that total rise to 200.6 yards per game with the All-American left tackle on the field. The offensive line also surrendered just four sacks in five games with Tunsil anchoring the line after giving up 13 during his seven-game absence. Tunsil has protected the quarterback himself, giving up just two sacks throughout his three-year career.

The 2015 Walter Camp All-America team will be honored at the organization’s national awards banquet on Saturday, Jan. 16, 2016 at the Yale University Commons in New Haven, Connecticut. In addition, the Foundation will recognize three individuals – Special Olympics CEO Tim Shriver (Distinguished American), former Florida State and Oakland Raider standout wide receiver Fred Biletnikoff (Man of the Year) and former Grambling State All-American and NFL quarterback Doug Williams (Alumnus of the Year) – with major awards. Please visit www.waltercamp.org or call (203) 288-CAMP (288-2267) for more information.

Walter Camp, “The Father of American Football,” first selected an All-America team in 1889. Camp – a former Yale University athlete and football coach – is also credited with developing play from scrimmage, set plays, the numerical assessment of goals and tries and the restriction of play to eleven men per side. The Walter Camp Football Foundation – a New Haven based all-volunteer group – was founded in 1967 to perpetuate the ideals of Camp and to continue the tradition of selecting annually an All-America team.

Follow Ole Miss Football on Twitter (@OleMissFB) and Facebook (Facebook.com/OleMissFootball), in addition to www.OleMissSports.com.

126th Walter Camp All-America Teams

Courtesy of Ole Miss Athletics

Follow HottyToddy.com on Instagram and Twitter @hottytoddynews. Like its Facebook page: If You Love Oxford and Ole Miss…