Three Irish Players Earn FWAA All-America Second Team Accolades

The 2022 Football Writers Association of America All-America Team, presented in partnership with the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, is streamlined by nine first-teamers from the four teams competing in the College Football Playoff, three repeat All-Americans and a record 16 total selections from the Big Ten Conference. There are 19 schools represented from six Football Bowl Subdivision conferences on the first team and 34 different schools and eight conferences plus an Independent included on the overall 54-man team.

Junior tight end Michael Mayer, junior defensive end Isaiah Foskey and sophomore Joe Alt were all named the the second team.

Michael Mayer

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. 

Mayer was named a first-team All-American by the Walter Camp foundation earlier this week.

Isaiah Foskey

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, 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. He also has declared for the 2023 NFL Draft. 

Foskey was named a first-team All-American by the Walter Camp foundation earlier this week.

Joe Alt

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. 

Alt was named to the Walter Camp All-America second team earlier this week.

FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
QB Caleb Williams, USC (6-1, 215, So., Washington, D.C.)
RB Blake Corum, Michigan (5-8, 210, Jr., Marshall, Va.)
RB Bijan Robinson, Texas (6-0, 222, Jr., Tucson, Ariz.
WR Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State (6-4, 205, Jr., Philadelphia, Pa.)
WR Jalin Hyatt, Tennessee (6-0, 185, Jr., Irmo, S.C.)
TE Brock Bowers, Georgia (6-4, 230, So., Napa, Calif.)
OL Steve Avila, TCU (6-4, 330, Sr., Arlington, Texas)
OL Paris Johnson Jr., Ohio State (6-6, 310, Jr., Cincinnati, Ohio)
OL John Michael Schmitz, Minnesota (6-4, 320, Sr., Flossmoor, Ill.)
OL Peter Skoronski, Northwestern (6-4, 315, Jr., Park Ridge, Ill.)
C Olusegun Oluwatimi, Michigan (6-3, 307, Gr., Upper Marlboro, Md.)

FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
DL Jalen Carter, Georgia (6-3, 300, Jr., Apopka, Fla.)
DL Calijah Kancey, Pitt (6-0, 280, Jr., Miami, Fla.)
DL Tuli Tuipulotu, USC (6-4, 290, Jr., Hawthorne, Calif.)
DL Tyree Wilson, Texas Tech (6-6, 275, Sr., Henderson, Texas)
LB Will Anderson Jr., Alabama (6-4, 243, So., Hampton, Ga.)
LB Jack Campbell, Iowa (6-5, 246, Sr., Cedar Falls, Iowa)
LB Ivan Pace Jr., Cincinnati (6-0, 235, Sr., Cincinnati, Ohio)
DB Emmanuel Forbes, Mississippi State (6-0, 180, Jr., Grenada, Miss.)
DB Clark Phillips III, Utah (5-10, 183, So., Lakewood, Calif.)
DB Chris Smith, Georgia (5-11, 195, Sr., Atlanta, Ga.)
DB Devon Witherspoon, Illinois (6-0, 180, Jr., Pensacola, Fla.)

FIRST TEAM SPECIALISTS
K Christopher Dunn, N.C. State (5-8, 170, Gr., Lexington, N.C.)
P Tory Taylor, Iowa (6-4, 230, Jr., Melbourne, Australia)
KR Lideatrick Griffin, Mississippi State (5-10, 185, Jr., Philadelphia, Miss.)
PR Derius Davis, TCU (5-10, 175, Sr., Saint Francisville, La.)
AP Zach Charbonnet, UCLA (6-1, 220, Sr., Camarillo, Calif.)

SECOND TEAM OFFENSE: QB Max Duggan, TCU; RB Israel Abanikanda, Pitt; RB Mohamed Ibrahim, Minnesota; WR Josh Downs, North Carolina; WR Rashee Rice, SMU; TE Michael Mayer, Notre Dame; OL Joe Alt, Notre Dame; OL Nick Broeker, Ole Miss; OL O’Cyrus Torrence, Florida; OL Andrew Vorhees, USC; C Alex Forsyth, Oregon. SECOND TEAM DEFENSE: DL Felix Anudike-Uzomah, Kansas State; DL Tyler Davis, Clemson; DL Isaiah Foskey, Notre Dame; DL Mike Morris, Michigan; LB Tommy Eichenberg, Ohio State; LB Jason Henderson, Old Dominion; LB Drew Sanders, Arkansas; DB Erick Hallett II, Pitt; DB Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson, TCU; DB Joey Porter Jr., Penn State; DB John Torchio, Wisconsin. SECOND TEAM SPECIALISTS: K Joshua Karty, Stanford; P Bryce Baringer, Michigan State; KR Milan Tucker, App State; PR Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama; AP Chase Brown, Illinois.