Bushman named to 2017 FWAA Freshman All-America Team

ATLANTA – BYU freshman tight end Matt Bushman was selected to the 2017 Football Writers Association of America Freshman All-America Team on Monday.

Bushman was also named to the USA Today Sports and 247Sports Freshman All-America teams. 

The FWAA's 13-person panel of nationally-prominent college football experts and writers represented each of the FBS conferences along with independents in the selecting the team.

Both true freshmen (20 players) and redshirt freshmen (10 players) were considered for the team.

Bushman led all FBS freshmen tight ends with 49 receptions for 520 receiving yards. He finished the season No. 5 among all tight ends in receptions and No. 6 in receiving yards. Bushman also added three touchdowns.

The Tucson, Arizona, product led the Cougars in receiving this season. His freshman campaign ranked No. 3 all-time among BYU freshmen in receptions and No. 5 in receiving yards. Bushman had the most production as a BYU tight end since consensus All-American Dennis Pitta had 62 receptions, 829 yards and eight touchdowns in 2009. 

Bushman is BYU's 15th freshman All-American, and the first tight end since Daniel Coats in 2003. Offensive linemen Thomas Shoaf and Tejan Koroma from the 2017 squad earned freshman All-America honors in 2016 and 2014, respectively.

The Big Ten led the FWAA with six players selected, followed by the SEC (5), the Pac-12 (4) and the ACC, Mountain West Conference and Conference USA, each of which had three players. The 10 FBS conferences are represented on the 30-man team, while Bushman is the only player from an independent school.

The 2017 FWAA Freshman All-America Team.