Jan. 8, 2013

University of South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney was selected as college football’s All-America Player of the Year presented by AT&T. The award is decided solely by a fan vote.

In 2012, the 6-6, 256-pound sophomore from Rock Hill, S.C., finished the season with 54 tackles, including 40 solo stops. He logged a school record 23.5 tackles for loss, including a school record 13.0 sacks. He also forced three fumbles and recovered one. He tied for second in the country in tackles for loss and was tied for third in sacks.

Clowney was a unanimous first-team All-American, just the second in South Carolina history, joining 1980 Heisman Trophy winner George Rogers. He also finished sixth in the Heisman Trophy balloting and was the Ted Hendricks Award winner as the nation’s top defensive end.

Previous winners of the AT&T All-America Player of the Year include Cedric Benson (2005), Vince Young (2006), Brady Quinn (2007), Michael Crabtree (2008), Graham Harrell (2009), Colt McCoy (2010) and Robert Griffin III (2011).