Utah State's Jalen Davis was named a 247Sports True Freshman All-American, it was announced Thursday.
Overall, Davis is one of 27 Football Bowl Subdivision players and one of four defensive backs to earn True Freshman All-America honors from 247Sports joining USC’s Adoree Jackson, LSU’s Jamal Adams and Virginia’s Quin Blanding.
The last Utah State freshman to earn All-America honors was linebacker Kyler Fackrell, who was named a Freshman All-American by the Football Writers Association of America following the 2012 season.
Davis is the only player from the Mountain West honored by 247Sports and one of just two players from Utah recognized joining BYU OC Tejan Koroma.
Davis, a 5-fot-10, 160-pound freshman cornerback from La Mesa, California (Helix HS), ranks tied for sixth on the team with 61 tackles. He also ranks tied for second on the team in interceptions with two and fourth on the team with seven pass breakups, while adding one forced fumble and one quarterback hurry. Davis finished the season recording at least four tackles in eight of his final nine games, including a season-high seven stops in four different outings.
Davis has started all 13 games for Utah State at cornerback this season and is the first true freshman cornerback in school history to start the opening game of the season. Both of Davis’ interceptions this year came in a 40-20 home win against Idaho State, as he returned one 44 yards for a touchdown. Those two interceptions in a game are the most by a true freshman in school history, according to available records.
Davis has been part of a Utah State defense that ranks among the top-36 defenses in the nation in five different statistical categories, including fourth in sacks (3.69 pg), 21st in scoring defense (20.8 ppg), 24th in passing efficiency defense (112.50), 26th in rushing defense (129.3 ypg) and 36th in the nation in total defense (362.3 ypg).
Utah State's defense also ranks tied for seventh nationally with its 29 forced turnovers, tied for ninth nationally with its 18 interceptions, 15th in the nation in turnover margin (0.77 pg) and 31st nationally with its 11 fumble recoveries.
Furthermore, Utah State's defense ranks fifth in the nation with an average of 8.2 tackles for loss per game, tied for sixth nationally with its five defensive touchdowns, 13th in the nation in three-and-outs as it is averaging 5.08 per game and 37th in the nation in opponents third down conversations at 36.8 percent (78-212).
Utah State (9-4, 6-2 MW) concludes its 2014 season against UTEP (7-5, 5-3 CUSA) in the Gildan New Mexico Bowl on Saturday, Dec. 20 at 12:20 pm MT, in a game that will be televised nationally on ESPN. USU is 2-0 all-time against the Miners with the last meeting between the two teams occurring in 1961.
Doug Hoffman is the associate athletic director for Utah State University Athletic Media Relations.