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Ricks, Boutte Named to FWAA Freshman All-America Team

by Michael Bonnette (@LSUBonnette)
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Ricks, Boutte Named to FWAA Freshman All-America Team

BATON ROUGE – LSU rookie standouts Eli Ricks and Kayshon Boutte have been named to the 2020 Football Writers Association of America Freshman All-America Team, the organization announced.

Boutte was also tabbed as the FWAA’s Freshman Breakout Player of the Year for 2020.

This is the 20th season the FWAA has honored Freshmen All-Americans. Ricks and Boutte become the 11th and 12th LSU players named to the team since its inception in 2001.

Ricks, who prepped at IMG Academy, had an outstanding rookie season, finished second in the Southeastern Conference and eighth nationally in interceptions with four. In 10 games, seven of which were starts, Ricks had 20 tackles and nine passes defended. He returned two of his interceptions for touchdowns, the second coming in LSU’s win over sixth-ranked Florida. His other interception return for a touchdown came in the win over South Carolina.

Ricks also earned Freshman All-SEC honors and was named third team All-America by the Associated Press. Ricks becomes the third LSU defensive back to earn FWAA Freshman All-America honors in the last four seasons, joining Derek Stingley Jr. in 2019 and Greedy Williams in 2017.

Boutte, a highly-touted receiver from Westgate High School in New Iberia, Louisiana, capped his rookie season with three straight 100-yard receiving games. His best effort came in the season-finale against Ole Miss, when he set the SEC record for receiving yards in a game with 308 and three TDs on 14 catches in the win over the Rebels. Boutte finished the year ranked No. 7 in the SEC in receiving yards per game with 73.5. In 10 games, Boutte caught 45 passes for 735 yards and five touchdowns.

Boutte had his breakout game against Alabama with eight receptions for 111 yards followed by a 5-catch, 108-yard, 1-TD effort in the win over Florida.

Boutte’s showing against Ole Miss was named the FWAA’s Freshman Performance of the Year.

A 13-person panel of nationally-prominent college football experts represented each of the FBS conferences along with independents in the selecting the team. Both true freshmen (17 players) and redshirt freshmen (15 players) were considered for the team and are so noted. Following is the complete, 32-man 2020 FWAA Freshman All-America Team:
 
LSU’s All-Time FWAA Freshman All-Americans (since 2001)
Year       Player (Position)

2002       Andrew Whitworth (OT)
2003       Justin Vincent (RB)
                LaRon Landry (DB)
2006       Ciron Black (OT)
2010       Tyrann Mathieu (DB)
2011       Brad Wing (P)
2014       Leonard Fournette (AP)
2015       Will Clapp (OL)
2017       Greedy Williams (DB)
2019       Derek Stingley Jr. (DB)
2020       Kayshon Boutte (WR)
                Eli Ricks (DB)
 
2020 FWAA Freshman All-America Team

OFFENSE (13)
QB Grayson McCall, Coastal Carolina
QB Spencer Rattler, Oklahoma
RB Ulysss Bentley IV, SMU
RB Kyren Williams, Notre Dame
WR Kayshon Boutte, LSU
WR Marvin Mims, Oklahoma
WR Tahj Washington, Memphis
OL Matt Goncalves, Pitt
OL Jeremy James, Ole Miss
OL Willie Lampkin, Coastal Carolina
OL Warren McClendon, Georgia
OL Peter Skoronski, Northwestern
OL Tyler Smith, Tulsa

DEFENSE (14)
DL Ricky Barber, WKU
DL Khari Coleman, TCU
DL Calijah Kancey, Pitt
DT Myles Murphy, Clemson
LB Will Anderson Jr., Alabama
LB Tyler Grubbs, Louisiana Tech
LB Noah Sewell, Oregon
LB Stefon Thompson, Syracuse
DB Derrick Canteen, Georgia Southern
DB Jalen Catalon, Arkansas
DB Emmanuel Forbes, Mississippi State
DB Brandon Joseph, Northwestern
DB Malachi Moore, Alabama
DB Eli Ricks, LSU

SPECIALISTS (5)
K John Hoyland, Wyoming
P Tory Taylor, Iowa
KR Trayvon Rudolph, NIU
PR Demario Douglas, Liberty
AP Deuce Vaughn, Kansas State