Sanders Named FWAA All-American
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Linebacker Drew Sanders has been named a second-team All-American by the Football Writers Association of America.
Sanders is the first Razorback linebacker to receive an All-America honor from the FWAA since Ronnie Caveness earned first-team recognition from the organization in 1964. It is the third consecutive season that an Arkansas linebacker has been named an All-American, with Grant Morgan and Bumper Pool earning the distinction in 2020 and 2021, respectively.
Sanders was sensational in his lone season at Arkansas, leading the Razorbacks in tackles (103), sacks (9.5) and tackles for loss (13.5). The junior led the Hogs in tackles in seven games during the 2022 campaign and registered double-digit tackles on six occasions. Sanders jumped onto the national scene in just his second game on The Hill against South Carolina (Sept. 10), making 11 tackles to go with three tackles for loss, including two sacks, to earn SEC Defensive Player of the Week honors along with national recognition as the Walter Camp National Defensive Player of the Week and Bednarik Award Player of the Week. He was later named the Butkus Award Linebacker of the Month for September.
He became just the second Razorback in history to earn multiple SEC defensive player of the week awards after making 10 tackles, including a half tackle for loss, recovering a fumble and intercepting the first pass of his career in the win over No. 14 Ole Miss (Nov. 19). Sanders joined the legendary Quinton Caver, who earned three SEC defensive player of the week recognitions in 2000 before being a second-round pick of the Philadelphia Eagles.
Led by Sanders, the Arkansas defense increased pressure on the quarterback this year and enters the Liberty Bowl with 39 sacks – one shy of the school record set in 1998. Sanders’ 9.5 sacks are tied for the seventh-most in a single season by a Razorback and are the most since defensive end Chris Smith’s 9.5 sacks in 2012.
Sanders, who has declared for the upcoming NFL Draft and is projected to be a top pick, was Arkansas’ first-ever Butkus Award finalist and joined an elite list of Razorbacks by being named a Walter Camp All-American yesterday. The Denton, Texas, native became just the 17th Hog in program history to earn All-America status from the Walter Camp Foundation.
The Hogs will conclude their season against Kansas in the Liberty Bowl at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 28, in Memphis, Tenn., on ESPN. For ticket information, call the Razorback Ticket Center at 479-575-5151 or click here.
