TEMPE – Arizona State freshman cornerback Chase Lucas has been named to the 17th Annual Football Writers of America Freshman All-America Team, as announced by the FWAA on Monday.
Only 13 players were selected to the FWAA Freshman All-America team on defense, with Lucas being one of just four Pac-12 players overall selected to the 30-member team. The 13-person panel of nationally-prominent college football experts that decided on the Freshman All-America team represented each of the FBS conferences along with independents in the selecting the team.
This is the second All-America award for Lucas, who was named to the USA Today Freshman All-America Team last month. Lucas is the first Sun Devil to be named to the FWAA team since Kareem Orr did so in 2015. Senior linebacker D.J. Calhoun earned the honor in 2014.
Lucas is the 10th Sun Devil to earn FWAA Freshman All-America honors, joining Orr, Calhoun, Junior Onyeali, Vontaze Burfict, Lawrence Guy, Omar Bolden, Thomas Weber, Zach Miller and Chris MacDonald.
Lucas earned Pac-12 Second Team honors at defensive back after an incredible freshman campaign in 2017, despite never playing a single snap at Division I cornerback prior to this season, and not playing as a day-to-day player at the position in high school.
He was the only freshman to be named to either the Pac-12 First or Second teams this season. He became the first freshman to earn First or Second team honors on offense or defense since Oregon running back Royce Freeman earned Second Team offense honors in 2014 (UO's Charles Nelson and USC's JuJu Smith made that team as specialists).
Lucas was the first defensive freshman to make the All-Pac-12 team since UCLA's Myles Jack in 2013 and became the first freshman defensive back to make the First or Second teams since Brandon Browner did so for Oregon State back in 2003.
During the regular season, Lucas allowed just 40 catches despite being targeted 78 times for a menial 51.2 completion percentage while allowing an NFL QBR of 72.4 with two interceptions and six passes defended.
Despite being targeted more than any of the 23 Pac-12 corners that played at least 60 percent of snaps in the regular season (once every 4.6 passing plays), Lucas allowed the fifth-lowest completion percentage of any corner in the conference – regardless of year.
Lucas finished the season with 59 tackles – good for fifth on the team – with a team-leading eight pass breakups and two interceptions.
Lucas joins a growing list of prominent Sun Devil freshmen that have had an immediate impact in recent years, becoming the 11th ASU player to be named a Freshman All-American since 2012 joining N'Keal Harry, Kareem Orr, JoJo Wicker, DJ Calhoun, Tashon Smallwood, Demario Richard, Zane Gonzalez, Salamo Fiso, D.J. Foster and Jaxon Hood.
Founded in 1941, the Football Writers Association of America consists of 1,400 men and women who cover college football. The membership includes journalists, broadcasters and publicists, as well as key executives in all the areas that involve the game. The FWAA works to govern areas that include game-day operations, major awards and its annual All-America team.
Only 13 players were selected to the FWAA Freshman All-America team on defense, with Lucas being one of just four Pac-12 players overall selected to the 30-member team. The 13-person panel of nationally-prominent college football experts that decided on the Freshman All-America team represented each of the FBS conferences along with independents in the selecting the team.
This is the second All-America award for Lucas, who was named to the USA Today Freshman All-America Team last month. Lucas is the first Sun Devil to be named to the FWAA team since Kareem Orr did so in 2015. Senior linebacker D.J. Calhoun earned the honor in 2014.
Lucas is the 10th Sun Devil to earn FWAA Freshman All-America honors, joining Orr, Calhoun, Junior Onyeali, Vontaze Burfict, Lawrence Guy, Omar Bolden, Thomas Weber, Zach Miller and Chris MacDonald.
Lucas earned Pac-12 Second Team honors at defensive back after an incredible freshman campaign in 2017, despite never playing a single snap at Division I cornerback prior to this season, and not playing as a day-to-day player at the position in high school.
He was the only freshman to be named to either the Pac-12 First or Second teams this season. He became the first freshman to earn First or Second team honors on offense or defense since Oregon running back Royce Freeman earned Second Team offense honors in 2014 (UO's Charles Nelson and USC's JuJu Smith made that team as specialists).
Lucas was the first defensive freshman to make the All-Pac-12 team since UCLA's Myles Jack in 2013 and became the first freshman defensive back to make the First or Second teams since Brandon Browner did so for Oregon State back in 2003.
During the regular season, Lucas allowed just 40 catches despite being targeted 78 times for a menial 51.2 completion percentage while allowing an NFL QBR of 72.4 with two interceptions and six passes defended.
Despite being targeted more than any of the 23 Pac-12 corners that played at least 60 percent of snaps in the regular season (once every 4.6 passing plays), Lucas allowed the fifth-lowest completion percentage of any corner in the conference – regardless of year.
Lucas finished the season with 59 tackles – good for fifth on the team – with a team-leading eight pass breakups and two interceptions.
Lucas joins a growing list of prominent Sun Devil freshmen that have had an immediate impact in recent years, becoming the 11th ASU player to be named a Freshman All-American since 2012 joining N'Keal Harry, Kareem Orr, JoJo Wicker, DJ Calhoun, Tashon Smallwood, Demario Richard, Zane Gonzalez, Salamo Fiso, D.J. Foster and Jaxon Hood.
Founded in 1941, the Football Writers Association of America consists of 1,400 men and women who cover college football. The membership includes journalists, broadcasters and publicists, as well as key executives in all the areas that involve the game. The FWAA works to govern areas that include game-day operations, major awards and its annual All-America team.