All Nate Solder needed was one last nod for top college football honors. The Colorado senior got it Tuesday.
The Associated Press named Solder to its All-America team, as a first-team offensive tackle.
The 6-foot-9, 315-pound Solder can now be considered a consenus All-American. He also earned the honor from the Football Writer’s Association and won the Walter Camp award. It takes three of the major first-team awards to be considered “consensus.”
“Being an All-American is something I’ve always dreamed of, so it’s really amazing to me that it happened,” Solder said in a release. “I was always told that I could be good, but I never realized it would be to this magnitude.”
Solder, a former prep standout from Buena Vista High, is the 25th Colorado player to earn consensus or unanimous All-American honors, and the first since linebacker Jordan Dizon in 2007. The last CU offensive player to do so was tight end Daniel Graham in 2001.
Associcated Press All-America Team
FIRST TEAM
OFFENSE
Quarterback — Cam Newton, junior, 6-foot-6, 250 pounds, Auburn.
Running backs — LaMichael James, sophomore, 5-9, 185, Oregon; Kendall Hunter, junior, 5-9, 200, Oklahoma State.
Tackles — Gabe Carimi, senior, 6-7, 327, Wisconsin; Nate Solder, senior, 6-9, 315, Colorado.
Guards — Rodney Hudson, senior, 6-2, 282, Florida State; John Moffitt, senior, 6-5, 323, Wisconsin.
Center — Chase Beeler, senior, 6-3, 285, Stanford.
Tight end — Michael Egnew, junior, 6-6, 235, Missouri.
Wide receivers — Justin Blackmon, sophomore, 6-1, 205, Oklahoma State; Ryan Broyles, junior, 5-11, 183, Oklahoma.
All-purpose player — Randall Cobb, junior, 5-11, 186, Kentucky.
Kicker — Alex Henery, senior, 6-2, 175, Nebraska.
DEFENSE
Ends — Da’Quan Bowers, junior, 6-4, 275, Clemson; Ryan Kerrigan, senior, 6-4, 263, Purdue.
Tackles — Nick Fairley, junior, 6-5, 298, Auburn; Stephen Paea, senior, 6-1, 311, Oregon State.
Linebackers — Luke Kuechly, sophomore, 6-3, 235, Boston College; Greg Jones, senior, 6-1, 240, Michigan State; Von Miller, senior, 6-3, 243, Texas A&M.
Cornerbacks — Patrick Peterson, junior, 6-1, 222, LSU; Prince Amukamara, senior, 6-1, 205, Nebraska.
Safeties — Tejay Johnson, senior, 6-1, 212, TCU; Quinton Carter, senior, 6-1, 200, Oklahoma.
Punter — Chas Henry, junior, 6-3, 222, Florida.
