Dec. 11, 2012

TEMPE, Ariz. - Arizona State University defensive lineman Will Sutton has been named to the Associated Press First Team All-America team, the publication announced Tuesday.

Sutton is the 14th AP First Team All-American in school history and the first since defensive end Terrell Suggs in 2002.

He was already tabbed an All-American by the AFCA, The Sporting News and the Walter Camp Football Foundation, and was the recipient of the Pat Tillman Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year award and the Morris Trophy.

He earned first team honors from both the AFCA and The Sporting News, making Sutton the school's first consensus First Team All-American since Suggs in 2002.

ASU's Previous AP First Team All-Americans
2002 - Terrell Suggs, defensive end
1996 - Juan Roque, offensive tackle
1996 - Derrick Rodgers, defensive end
1986 - Danny Villa, offensive tackle
1985 - David Fulcher, safety
1984 - Fulcher
1983 - Luis Zendejas, kicker
1982 - Mike Richardson, safety
1981 - Richardson
1978 - Al Harris, defensive end
1977 - John Jefferson, wide receiver
1975 - Mike Haynes, cornerback
1972 - Woody Green, running back

Sutton's 2012 Postseason Accolades

Associated Press First Team All-America
Morris Trophy winner
Lindy's First Team All-America 

Consensus First Team All-American 

Walter Camp Second Team All-America

FoxSportsNext.com Second Team All-America
Sporting News First Team All-America 

CBSSports.com Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year


Pat Tillman Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year


CBSSports.com First Team All-America


AFCA FBS Coaches First Team All-America

Athlon Sports First Team All-America


 First Team All-Pac-12 

Bednarik Award semifinalist

Sutton recorded 10.5 sacks and 20 tackles for loss, along with three forced fumbles and five pass breakups, despite missing one game and the majority of another due to an injury.

He led the Pac-12 and ranked fifth in the FBS with 1.82 tackles for loss per game, and also ranked 13th in the nation and third in the conference with .95 sacks per game. A force that can line up in multiple spots on the defensive line, he anchored a pass-rush defense that was second in the nation in both sacks (4.0) and tackles for loss per game (8.83).

Sutton, who recorded a tackle for loss in all 11 games he played in and collected multiple TFLs in six of those contests, used constant pressure to guide a Sun Devil defense that led the Pac-12 in both pass defense and pass efficiency defense, as well as rank second in the conference in total defense.