The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Orakpo earns unanimous all-America honors
12.17.2008 | Football
Dec. 17, 2008
AUSTIN, Tx -- After being named first-team all-America by The Sporting News, Texas senior DE Brian Orakpo became the 19th player in UT history to earn unanimous all-America honors based on teams recognized by the NCAA.
Texas has now had five unanimous all-Americans in last five years, including OL Justin Blalock in 2006, S Michael Huff and OT Jonathan Scott in 2005 and LB Derrick Johnson in 2004.
In addition to The Sporting News, Orakpo has been selected first-team All-America by the Associated Press, Walter Camp Football Foundation, Football Writers Association of America and American Football Coaches Association. He also received first-team honors from Sports Illustrated.
Orakpo has already won the Nagurski Trophy (nation's top defensive player), Lombardi Award (nation's top lineman) and Hendricks Award (nation's top defensive end), and was named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year. He was also a finalist for the Lott Trophy (nation's top defensive IMPACT player).
During the regular season, Orakpo made 40 tackles (29 solo) and led the team with 10.5 sacks, which is tied for sixth nationally, 18 TFL, which is tied for the 11th-most nationally, four forced fumbles, which is tied for the third-most nationally, and 27 pressures, despite being limited in two and a half games with a knee injury. He has twice been named the Lott Trophy National Defensive Player of the Week. In four games against Top 25 opponents this season, he notched 16 tackles, three sacks, seven TFL, nine pressures and a forced fumble.
For his career, Orakpo has tallied 130 tackles (91 solo), 21 sacks, 37 TFL, 59 pressures, six PBD, six forced fumbles and a fumble recovery in 46 games (20 starts).
