ASU’s Eno Benjamin named to preseason AP All-America second team
Aug 20, 2019, 11:33 AM | Updated: 11:38 am
Running back Eno Benjamin #3 of the Arizona State Sun Devils rushes the football against the Utah Utes during the first half of the college football game at Sun Devil Stadium on November 3, 2018 in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
The Arizona State Sun Devils have a well-known star running back in Eno Benjamin, whose production last season has garnered him attention going in to 2019.
On Tuesday, those expectations of a big junior campaign earned him a second-team preseason AP All-American selection along with Georgia running back D’Andre Swift.
He missed out on a first-team selection, which went to Wisconsin junior Jonathan Taylor and Clemson junior Travis Etienne.
Last year, Benjamin took over as the starting running back for ASU and became an AP third team All-American and first-team All-Pac-12 selection. He broke the school record for rushing yards in a season with 1,642, as well as the school record for most rushing yards in a game. He had 312 yards and three touchdowns on 30 carries against Oregon State on Sept. 29.
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Here’s what the rest of the 2019 preseason AP All-America selections looked like:
FIRST TEAM
OFFENSE
Quarterback — Trevor Lawrence, sophomore, Clemson.
Running back — Jonathan Taylor, junior, Wisconsin; Travis Etienne, junior, Clemson.
Tackles — Andrew Thomas, junior, Georgia; Walker Little, junior, Stanford.
Guards — Shane Lemieux, senior, Oregon; Ben Bredeson, senior, Michigan.
Center — Tyler Biadasz, junior, Wisconsin.
Tight end — Albert Okwuegbunam, junior, Missouri.
Wide receivers — Jerry Jeudy, junior, Alabama; Tylan Wallace, junior, Oklahoma State.
All-purpose player — Rondale Moore, sophomore, Purdue.
Kicker — Andre Szmyt, sophomore, Syracuse.
DEFENSE
Ends — Chase Young, junior, Ohio State; A.J. Epenesa, junior, Iowa.
Tackles — Derrick Brown, senior, Auburn; Raekwon Davis, senior, Alabama.
Linebackers — Dylan Moses, junior, Alabama; Isaiah Simmons, junior, Clemson; Joe Bachie, senior, Michigan State.
Cornerbacks — Bryce Hall, senior, Virginia; Paulson Adebo, junior, Stanford.
Safeties — Grant Delpit, junior, LSU; Andre Cisco, sophomore, Syracuse.
Punter — Braden Mann, senior, Texas A&M.
SECOND TEAM
OFFENSE
Quarterback — Tua Tagovailoa, junior, Alabama.
Running backs — D’Andre Swift, junior, Georgia; Eno Benjamin, junior, Arizona State.
Tackles — Trey Adams, senior, Washington; Calvin Throckmorton, senior, Oregon.
Guards — Tommy Kraemer, senior, Notre Dame; John Simpson, senior, Clemson.
Center — Nick Harris, senior, Washington.
Tight end — Jared Pinkney, senior, Vanderbilt.
Wide receivers — Laviska Shenault Jr., junior, Colorado; Justyn Ross, sophomore, Clemson.
All-purpose player — CeeDee Lamb, junior, Oklahoma.
Kicker — Rodrigo Blankenship, senior, Georgia.
DEFENSE
Ends — Kenny Willekes, senior, Michigan State; Julian Okwara, senior, Notre Dame.
Tackles — Leki Fotu, senior, Utah; Marvin Wilson, junior, Florida State.
Linebackers — Paddy Fisher, junior, Northwestern; Evan Weaver, senior, California; Shaquille Quarterman, senior, Miami.
Cornerbacks — Kristian Fulton, senior, LSU; CJ Henderson, junior, Florida.
Safeties — Alohi Gillman, junior, Notre Dame; Jordan Fuller, senior, Ohio State.
Punter — James Smith, junior, Cincinnati.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
