AFCA Tabs Five Irish Players As 2022 All-Americans

The American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) has released its 2022 All-America teams and five Fighting Irish student-athletes earned accolades, including first-team selections for junior defensive end Isaiah Foskey and senior long snapper Michael Vinson. Junior tight end Michael Mayer, senior guard Jarrett Patterson and sophomore left tackle Joe Alt also earned second-team honors.

The AFCA has selected an All-America team since 1945 and currently selects teams in all five of its divisions.

Isaiah Foskey

• 2022 AFCA First-Team All-American
• 2022 Walter Camp First-Team All-American
• 2022 The Sporting News Second-Team All-American
• 2022 Associated Press Second-Team All-American
• 2022 FWAA Second-Team All-American

Foskey piled up 11 sacks for the second consecutive season from his defensive end position and broke the Notre Dame career sack record in 2022. The Antioch, California, has posted 26.5 sacks in his career, besting the school record that stood since 2004. His 11 sacks tied for fourth in FBS this year and he led the Irish with 14 tackles for loss and six quarterback hurries. 

One of the most consistent defenders on the team, Foskey logged at least three tackles in 10 of Notre Dame’s 12 games this season including five at North Carolina (with 1.5 sacks and two hurries) and another five at No. 5/5 Southern Cal with 1.5 sacks.

MICHAEL VINSON

• 2022 AFCA First-Team All-American

The American Football Coaches Association is the only organization to include the long snapper position in its All-America team and the 2022 team marks the position’s debut. Irish senior Michael Vinson has earned the first-ever first-team All-America accolade from the AFCA as a long snapper. 

A Patrick Mannelly Award semifinalist, Vinson worked a clean slate in 2022 as the snapper for Notre Dame’s punt and field goal operation. He helped the Irish rank 25th nationally in net punting (40.82) while assisting the field goal operation to finish the regular season 13-for-18, 7-for-8 inside of 40 yards and a perfect 43-for-43 in point-after-touchdown kicks. 

Joe Alt

• 2022 Associated Press First-Team All-American
• 2022 AFCA Second-Team All-American
• 2002 The Sporting News Second-Team All-American
• 2022 FWAA Second-Team All-American
• 2022 Walter Camp Second-Team All-American

Alt has quickly developed into one of the top left tackles in the nation after assuming the position in Notre Dame’s lineup midway through the 2021 season. He anchored an Irish line this season that opened the way for six 200-yard rushing performances, including over 250 yards against No. 5/5 Clemson. 

The North Oaks, Minnesota, native is the top-ranked run block offensive tackle in the country according to Pro Football Focus and the second-ranked overall tackle in FBS. Of his 370 pass block sets this season, Alt allowed just five pressures and zero sacks. 

Michael Mayer

• 2022 The Sporting News First-Team All-American
• 2022 Associated Press First-Team All-American
• 2022 Walter Camp First-Team All-American
• 2022 AFCA Second-Team All-American
• 2022 Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) Second-Team All-American

Mayer led all FBS tight ends in touchdown receptions in 2022 while posting a team-high 67 receptions for 809 yards. The Independence, Kentucky, native finished his career at Notre Dame as the greatest statistical tight end in school history, setting program tight end marks for receptions (180), yards (2,099) and touchdown receptions (18) while also owning the single-season tight end records for receptions (71 in 2021), yards (840 in 2021) and touchdowns (9 in 2022). 

Among Mayer’s noteworthy games in 2022 was an 11-catch, 118-yard, two-touchdown performance against No. 16/16 BYU in Las Vegas, a game in which he established a tight end record for receptions in a game. He piled up six catches for 115 yards and a touchdown against UNLV, seven catches for 88 yards and a score at North Carolina, four catches for 44 yards and a touchdown against No. 5/5 Clemson and eight catches for 98 yards and two touchdowns at No. 5/5 Southern Cal. 

Mayer, who has declared for the 2023 NFL Draft, led all active FBS tight ends in receptions (180) and yards (2,099). He also finished his career third on Notre Dame’s all-time receptions list while becoming the 13th Irish player to amass 2,000 receiving yards in a career. Mayer ended his time at Notre Dame on a 36-game streak of games with at least one reception which represented every game he suited up in the blue and gold. 

Jarrett Patterson

• 2022 AFCA Second-Team All-American

One of the top centers in college football throughout his first three active seasons at Notre Dame, Patterson made the switch to left guard this season and helped the Irish offense post six 200-yard rushing performances. The Laguna Hills, California, native served as a team captain in 2022 and returned from a preseason injury to start the last 11 games of the season. 

Patterson has performed 1,652 pass block sets in his career without allowing a single sack and only allowed seven pressures all season from his left guard position. 

2022 AFCA FBS Coaches’ All-America Team – First Team

Offense

Pos.  Name                           Ht.     Wt.    Cl.     School               Coach                                      Hometown (High School)

WR    Marvin Harrison Jr.          6-4    205    So.     Ohio State           Ryan Day                     Philadelphia, Pa. (St. Joseph’s Prep)
WR    Jalin Hyatt                     6-0    185    Jr.      Tennessee          Josh Heupel                                    Irmo, S.C. (Dutch Fork)
TE     Brock Bowers                6-4    230    So.     Georgia               Kirby Smart                                          Napa, Calif. (Napa)
OL     O’Cyrus Torrence           6-5    347    Jr.      Florida                Billy Napier                   Greensburg, La. (St. Helena Central)
OL     Peter Skoronski              6-4    315    Jr.      Northwestern       Pat Fitzgerald                          Park Ridge, Ill. (Maine South)
C       Olusegun Oluwatimi        6-3    307    Gr.     Michigan             Jim Harbaugh           Upper Marlboro, Md. (DeMatha Catholic)
OL     Paris Johnson Jr.            6-6    310    Jr.      Ohio State           Ryan Day                                 Cincinnati, Ohio (Princeton)
OL     Steve Avila                    6-4    330    Sr.     TCU                   Sonny Dykes                 Arlington, Tex. (South Grand Prairie)
QB    Caleb Williams               6-1    215    So.     USC                   Lincoln Riley            Washington, D.C. (Gonzaga College HS)
RB     Blake Corum                  5-8    210    Jr.      Michigan             Jim Harbaugh                Marshall, Va. (St. Frances Academy)
RB     Bijan Robinson               6-0    222    Jr.      Texas                 Steve Sarkisian                              Tucson, Ariz. (Salpointe)

Defense

Pos.  Name                           Ht.     Wt.    Cl.     School               Coach                                      Hometown (High School)
DL     Isaiah Foskey                6-5    265    Jr.      Notre Dame         Marcus Freeman                        Antioch, Calif. (De La Salle)
DL     *Jalen Carter                 6-3    300    Jr.      Georgia               Kirby Smart                                      Apopka, Fla. (Apopka)
DL     Calijah Kancey               6-0    280    R-Jr.   Pittsburgh            Pat Narduzzi                       Miami, Fla. (Miami Northwestern)
DL     Tuli Tuipulotu                 6-4    290    Jr.      USC                   Lincoln Riley                            Hawthorne, Calif. (Lawndale)
LB     *Will Anderson Jr.           6-4    243    Jr.      Alabama             Nick Saban                                Hampton, Ga. (Dutchtown)
LB     Ivan Pace Jr.                 6-0    235    Sr.     Cincinnati            Luke Fickell                                Cincinnati, Ohio (Colerain)
LB     Jack Campbell               6-5    246    Sr.     Iowa                   Kirk Ferentz                          Cedar Falls, Iowa (Cedar Falls)
DB    Christopher Smith           5-11   195    Sr.     Georgia               Kirby Smart                          Atlanta, Ga. (Hapeville Charter)
DB     Devon Witherspoon         6-0    180    Jr.      Illinois                 Bret Bielema                           Pensacola, Fla. (Pine Forest)
DB    Emmanuel Forbes          6-0    180    Jr.      Mississippi State   Mike Leach                                 Grenada, Miss. (Grenada)
DB     Clark Phillips III              5-10   183    So.     Utah                   Kyle Whittingham                       Lakewood, Calif. (La Habra)

Specialists

Pos.  Name                           Ht.     Wt.    Cl.     School               Coach                                      Hometown (High School)
P       Bryce Baringer               6-3    215    Sr.     Michigan State     Mel Tucker                    Waterford, Mich. (Notre Dame Prep)
PK     Christopher Dunn           5-8    170    Gr.     NC State             Dave Doeren                      Lexington, N.C. (North Davidson)
AP     *Deuce Vaughn              5-6    176    Jr.      Kansas State       Chris Klieman                     Round Rock, Tex. (Cedar Ridge)
LS     Michael Vinson               6-2    228    Sr.     Notre Dame         Marcus Freeman                            Winnetka, Ill. (New Trier)

*–2021 AFCA All-American           

2022 AFCA FBS Coaches’ All-America Team – Second Team

Offense

Pos.  Name                            Ht.     Wt.    Cl.     School            Coach                                        Hometown (High School)
WR    Nathaniel Dell                  5-10   165   Jr.      Houston           Dana Holgorsen                      Daytona Beach, Fla. (Mainland)
WR    Xavier Hutchinson            6-3     205   R-Sr.  Iowa State        Matt Campbell                        Jacksonville, Fla. (Bartram Trail)
TE     *Michael Mayer                6-4     265   Jr.      Notre Dame      Marcus Freeman          Independence, Ky. (Covington Catholic)
OL     Alex Palczewski               6-6     315   Sr.     Illinois              Bret Bielema                            Mount Prospect, Ill. (Prospect)
OL     Jarrett Patterson              6-4     310   Sr.     Notre Dame      Marcus Freeman                 Laguna Hills, Calif. (Mission Viejo)
C       John Michael Schmitz       6-4     320   Sr.     Minnesota        P.J. Fleck                    Flossmoor, Ill. (Homewood-Flossmoor)
OL     Joe Alt                           6-7     317   So.    Notre Dame      Marcus Freeman                  North Oaks, Minn. (Totino-Grace)
OL     Andrew Vorhees              6-6     325   R-Sr.  USC                Lincoln Riley                              Kingsburg, Calif. (Kingsburg)
QB    C.J. Stroud                     6-3     218   Jr.      Ohio State        Ryan Day               Inland Empire, Calif. (Rancho Cucamonga)
RB     Chase Brown                  5-11   205   Jr.      Illinois              Bret Bielema            London, Ontario (St. Stephen’s Episcopal)
RB     Mohamed Ibrahim            5-10   210   Sr.     Minnesota        P.J. Fleck              Baltimore, Md. (Our Lady of Good Counsel)

Defense

Pos.  Name                            Ht.     Wt.    Cl.     School            Coach                                        Hometown (High School)
DL     Byron Young                   6-3     292   Sr.     Alabama          Nick Saban                                   Laurel, Miss. (West Jones)
DL     Felix Anudike-Uzomah      6-4     255   Jr.      Kansas State    Chris Klieman                       Kansas City, Mo. (Lee’s Summit)
DL     Mike Morris                     6-6     292   Sr.     Michigan          Jim Harbaugh                 Belle Glade, Fla. (American Heritage)
DL     Tyree Wilson                   6-6     275   Sr.     Texas Tech       Joey McGuire                           Henderson, Tex. (West Rusk)
LB     Drew Sanders                 6-5     233   Jr.      Arkansas          Sam Pittman                                         Denton, Tex. (Ryan)
LB     Jamon Dumas-Johnson     6-1     245   So.    Georgia            Kirby Smart                  Hyattsville, Md. (St. Frances Academy)
LB     Nick Herbig                     6-2     228   Jr.      Wisconsin         Jim Leonhard                     Kauai, Hawaii (Saint Louis School)
DB    *Jordan Battle                 6-1     206   Sr.     Alabama          Nick Saban                Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (St. Thomas Aquinas)
DB     Joey Porter Jr.                 6-2     194   R-Jr.   Penn State       James Franklin          Bakersfield, Calif. (North Allegheny (Pa.))
DB    Kool-Aid McKinstry           6-1     188   So.    Alabama          Nick Saban                          Birmingham, Ala. (Pinson Valley)
DB     Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson 5-9     180   Sr.     TCU                Sonny Dykes                                        Waco, Tex. (Midway)

Specialists

Pos.  Name                            Ht.     Wt.    Cl.     School            Coach                                        Hometown (High School)
P       Kai Kroeger                    6-4     207   Jr.      South Carolina  Shane Beamer                          Lake Forest, Ill. (Lake Forest)
PK     *Jake Moody                   6-1     210   Gr.     Michigan          Jim Harbaugh                              Northville, Mich. (Northville)
AP     Jaylin Lucas                    5-9     170   Fr.     Indiana            Tom Allen                                        Houma, La. (Edna Karr)
LS     Joe Shimko                     6-0     220   Jr.      NC State          Dave Doeren                             Belmar, N.J. (Wall Township)

*–2021 AFCA All-American