Darden, Novil Named First Team All-Conference

DALLAS - North Texas senior wide receiver Jaelon Darden and senior defensive lineman Dion Novil were both named First Team All-Conference USA, while redshirt junior offensive lineman Jacob Brammer was voted to the conference's second team and nine others were named as honorable mention selections, the league announced Monday.

Darden, a First Team All-America selection (Pro Football Focus), as well as a Biletnikoff Award and Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award semifinalist, is among the nation's leaders in all of the major receiving categories. The Houston native finished with 74 receptions for 1,190 yards and a single-season program record 19 touchdowns in just nine games. His 19 receiving scores lead the Football Bowl Subdivision and entering the postseason has two more than Alabama's DeVonta Smith, who has the second-most nationally. Darden ranks seventh in the country in receptions per game (8.2). Darden led the nation in games with three or more receiving touchdowns, with four, and also tied for the most receiving scores in a single game in the country with four. Darden ranks third nationally in receiving yards per game (132.2) and receiving yards (1,190) and fourth in receptions (74). Darden concluded his time in Denton as the program's career record-holder in receptions (230), receiving yards (2,781) and receiving touchdowns (38).

Novil, a disruptive force in the middle of the UNT defense, has recorded 37 tackles, a team-high 8.0 tackles for loss (which ranks eighth in C-USA), 2.5 sacks, a pair of forced fumbles and a quarterback hurry in nine appearances. Novil earned a perfect 99.9 grade from Pro Football Focus against the run, and 98.4 overall grade while being named the PFF National Defensive Player of the Week following his performance on 11/21 in a win over Rice (5.0 TFL and two forced fumbles). Novil has a PFF grade of 77.5, the highest on the team among defensive players.

Brammer, a second team selection, is part of a much-improved offensive line that has helped North Texas to become Conference USA's top scoring offense in terms of scoring (35.1 ppg) and most effective in terms of total offense (515.0 yards per game), which also ranks seventh in FBS. Brammer is an anchor at right tackle for a unit that has been named as one of 22 units in the nation to the Joe Moore Midseason Honor Roll. He has started all nine games at right tackle and is a member of the team's leadership council.

The nine players who earned honorable mention status are: senior running back DeAndre Torrey, redshirt junior offensive lineman Anterrious Gray, redshirt junior offensive lineman Manase Mose, redshirt senior tight end Jason Pirtle, junior linebacker KD Davis, senior safety Makyle Sanders, redshirt junior punter Bernardo Rodriguez, redshirt senior kick returner Deion Hair-Griffin and redshirt junior long snapper Nate Durham.

First Team
WR Jaelon Darden
DL Dion Novil

Second Team
OL Jacob Brammer

Honorable Mention
RB DeAndre Torrey
OL Anterrious Gray
OL Manase Mose
TE Jason Pirtle
LB KD Davis
S Makyle Sanders
P Bernardo Rodriguez
KR Deion Hair-Griffin
LS Nate Durham

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Players Mentioned

Jacob Brammer

Jaelon Darden

KD Davis

Nate Durham

Anterrious Gray

Deion Hair-Griffin

Manase Mose

Dion Novil

Jason Pirtle

Bernardo Rodriguez

Makyle Sanders

DeAndre Torrey

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