NEW ORLEANS – Tulane University football continued to earn high preseason praise, as eight Green Wave players earned 10 spots on the 2020 Pro Football Focus Preseason All-AAC Team.
Junior running back Amare Jones highlighted the list of honorees, as he earned First Team honors as a punt returner as well as Second Team recognition as a running back and as a kick returner.
Teammates Patrick Johnson (edge rusher), Jaylon Monroe (cornerback), Cameron Sample (edge rusher) and Corey Dublin (offensive line) also received Second Team recognition.
Ben Knutson (offensive line), Cameron Carroll (running back) and Sincere Haynesworth (offensive line) rounded out the list of honorees as they were tabbed honorable mention.
Jones earned the recognition following an impressive sophomore campaign where he closed the year with 1,611 all-purpose yards, finishing with 371 yards rushing, 367 yards receiving, 141 punt return yards and 732 kickoff return yards. The Frisco, Texas, native’s 1,611 all-purpose yards were the most by any American Athletic Conference sophomore, ranked 28th nationally and fifth in the league. Jones’ all-purpose yards total also served as the seventh-highest single-season total in program history.
Johnson was recognized after he led the Green Wave in sacks for the second straight season – a feat only five players have accomplished since 1973. Over the past two seasons, Johnson has tallied 14.5 sacks and ranks tied for seventh all-time in program history. He needs just 8.5 sacks to become the program’s all-time leader in career sacks. Following his strong 2019 campaign, Johnson earned All-AAC Second Team honors for the second straight season. Johnson enters his final season in the hopes of earning All-AAC honors for the third straight year – a feat only Parry Nickerson and Nico Marley have achieved.
Dublin took home Second Team honors following a 2019 campaign where he helped pave the way for Tulane to rush for 249.8 yards per game – a figure that ranked 11th nationally. Following the 2019 campaign, Dublin received Honorable Mention recognition from The American. He is the first Tulane offensive lineman to be named All-AAC. The New Orleans native also has proven himself to be a durable player throughout his collegiate career, having started in 38 straight games.
Sample was awarded Second Team preseason accolades after he posted a strong junior campaign where he tallied single-season career-high with 44 tackles. His 44 stops on the year ranked seventh on the team from a year ago and ranked fourth among Tulane returnees. Sample was one of 13 players that started in every game last season.
Monroe was tabbed Second Team following a breakout junior campaign where he established himself as one of the Green Wave’s most reliable cornerbacks. In 2019, Monroe posted single-season career highs in tackles, tackles for loss and interceptions. In addition, Monroe also was one of 13 players that started in every game last season.
Haynesworth received Honorable Mention status after he established himself as one of the Green Wave’s top offensive linemen, as he made 11 appearances and five starts in 2019. He also played a key role in paving the way for Tulane’s ground attack to rush for over 3,000 yards for the first time in school history.
Knutson took home Honorable Mention recognition following a 2019 campaign where he saw action in every game, including six starts. In his first appearance of the year, he helped pave the way for the Green Wave to rush for over 350 yards and four touchdowns against FIU. He also was a key component to the Green Wave’s impressive ground attack that surpassed 3,000 yards.
Carroll earned Honorable Mention after showed tremendous potential in 2019, finishing fifth on the team in rushing with 364 yards and four touchdowns. The Flowood, Mississippi, native posted a breakout performance against Navy, as he rushed for 71 yards on just eight carries. He also posted a game-high 48 yards against Southern Miss in the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl.
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{Courtesy: Press Release from Tulane Athletics}
