Dec. 08--Three Notre Dame players were named USA Today All-Americans on Tuesday.
Defensive tackle Sheldon Day and linebacker Jaylon Smith earned first-team honors, while Will Fuller was named a second-team receiver.
Smith and Day, both projected to be high first-round picks in the 2016 NFL draft, are captains. Smith, a 6-foot-2, 240-pound junior, leads the Irish with 113 tackles and five pass breakups.
A 6-2, 285-pound senior, Day has 41 tackles, a team-best 14 1/2 of which have been for a loss. He also has four sacks.
Fuller, a 6-foot, 184-pound junior, has 1,145 yards and 13 touchdowns (nine of at least 30 yards) on 56 catches. He's averaging 20.4 yards per catch.
Senior center Nick Martin, also a captain, accepted an invitation to play in the Senior Bowl.
The 10-2 Irish, ranked eighth by the College Football Playoff committee, will face No. 7 Ohio State (11-1) on Jan. 1 in the Fiesta Bowl.
Hinsdale Central graduate and Michigan State offensive lineman Jack Allen also was named to the first team.
Find the complete list here.
pskrbina@tribpub.com
