Three Mizzou football student athletes were named first-team All-Big 12. Senior WR Danario Alexander, senior LB Sean Weatherspoon and sophomore PK Grant Ressel all earned first-team honors, while freshman DE standout Aldon Smith won the league’s defensive freshman of the year award. In all, 13 Tigers received recognition from the Big 12 coaches.
Weatherspoon ranks 3rd in the Big 12 with 101 tackles on the season, was a first-team selection for the second consecutive season. Alexander is the nation’s top receiver, leading the NCAA with his Mizzou record 1,644 receiving yards. (How can he not be considered as a Heisman candidtate?) Ressel, who was just named Special Teams Player of the Week, leads the nation in field goal accuracy at 96.0%.
Smith burst on the scene this season and is the nation’s top freshman in both tackles for loss with 18.5 and sacks with 11 which is tied with Justin Smith’s Mizzou record, who was the other Tiger to win the Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year award.
Second team honors went to DT Jaron Baston and OL Kurtis Gregory and eight Tigers won honorable mention. CB Carl Gettis, P Jake Harry IV, OL Dan Hoch, WR Jared Perry, CB Kevin Rutland, S Jasper Simmons, DE Aldon Smith and TB Derrick Washington.