Christensen named Consensus All-American

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana — BYU left tackle Brady Christensen was named a 2020 Consensus All-American on Friday, becoming the first Cougar to receive the distinction since All-America tight end Dennis Pitta in 2009. It is the 14th Consensus All-America honor by a BYU football player.

To be selected consensus, a player must be named first team on at least two of the five selected All-America teams—American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), The Associated Press, Football Writers Association of America (FWAA), The Sporting News and Walter Camp Foundation. 

Christensen was named first-team All-America by the Walter Camp Foundation and The Associate Press. He received second-team honors by the AFCA, FWAA and The Sporting News. 

The 6-foot-6, 300-pound junior becomes the 12th Cougar to be recognized as a Consensus All-America, joining Marc Wilson (1979), Nick Eyre (1980), Jim McMahon (1981), Gordon Hudson (1982 and 1983), Steve Young (1983), Jason Buck (1986), Mo Elewonibi (1989), Chris Smith (1990), Ty Detmer (1990 and 1991), Luke Staley (2001) and Dennis Pitta (2009). 

A total of 29 players were selected to the Consensus All-America team for 2020. 

In addition to being named to all five of the All-America teams used to determine consensus status, Christensen was also named first-team All-America by USA TODAY Sports, ESPN, CBS Sports, Pro Football Focus and Bleacher Report. He also received additional second-team honors from Phil Steele and The Athletic. 

With a total of 12 first or second-team citations, Christensen has been named to more All-America teams in a single season than any other Cougar. He surpassed tight ends Pitta (2009) and Chris Smith (1990) as well as Heisman Trophy winner Detmer (1990) who were each named to nine different All-America teams in one year. 

Detmer leads all former BYU football players with 14 career All-America team citations. Hudson had 13 career awards, followed by Christensen with 12, Smith with 11 and PItta and McMahon with 10 apiece. 

Christensen finished the 2020 season as the highest-graded offensive tackle in the country by Pro Football Focus with a 96.0 rating, earning grades above 95.0 as both a pass-blocker and run-blocker throughout the regular 2020 season. He allowed just three pressures across 372 regular-season pass-blocking snaps. His overall rating set a new PFF college record, breaking the standard set by 2019 Outland Trophy winner Penei Sewell in last season. 

At left tackle, Christensen protected the blindside of All-America quarterback Zac Wilson. Together they led a BYU offense that currently ranks No. 4 in scoring (43.5 ppg) and No. 7 in total offense (522.2 ypg). USA TODAY called Christensen, “the unsung star of the nation’s fourth-best offense in yards per play.”

A graduate of Bountiful High, Christensen was two-star prospect coming out of high school in 2015 but became an immediate impact player after returning from a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to New Zealand and following a redshirt season in 2017.

In three seasons at BYU from 2018-20, Christensen started in all 38 games. The Cougars finished the 2020 season with an 11-1 record after a dominant 49-23 victory over UCF in the RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl. BYU entered the bowl season ranked No. 13 in The Associated Press Top 25 and No. 15 in the Amway Coaches Poll.

On Dec. 30, Christensen announced he would forgo his senior season to declare for the 2021 NFL Draft. He is looking to become the first Cougars offensive lineman drafted since Scott Young was taken 172nd overall by the Philadelphia Eagles in 2005.

2020 NCAA CONSENSUS ALL-AMERICANS

Offense
WR  *DeVonta Smith, Alabama, 6-1, 175, Sr.
WR  Elijah Moore, Ole Miss, 5-9, 184, Jr.
TE   *Kyle Pitts, Florida, 6-6, 246, Jr.
OL   *Alex Leatherwood, Alabama, 6-6, 312, Sr.
OL   *Wyatt Davis, Ohio St., 6-4, 315, Jr.
OL   Liam Eichenberg, Notre Dame, 6-6, 302, Sr.
OL  Brady Christensen, BYU, 6-6, 300, Jr.
OL   Aaron Banks, Notre Dame, 6-5, 330, Sr.
OL   Kenyon Green, Texas A&M, 6-4, 325, So.
C     Landon Dickerson, Alabama, 6-6, 325, Sr.
QB  Mac Jones, Alabama, 6-3, 214, Jr.
RB  *Najee Harris, Alabama, 6-2, 230, Sr.
RB  *Breece Hall, Iowa St., 6-1, 215, So.
PK  *Jose Borregales, Miami (FL), 5-10, 205, Sr.
Returner/All-Purpose  Travis Etienne, Clemson, 5-10, 205, Sr.
Returner/All-Purpose  Avery Williams, Boise St., 5-9, 195, Sr.

Defense
DL  *Daviyon Nixon, Iowa, 6-3, 305, Jr.
DL  Rashad Weaver, Pittsburgh, 6-5, 270, Sr.
DL  Tarron Jackson, Coastal Carolina, 6-2, 260, Sr.
DL  Darius Stills, West Virginia, 6-1, 285, Sr.
DL  Patrick Jones II, Pittsburgh, 6-5, 260, Sr.
LB  *Zaven Collins, Tulsa, 6-4, 260, Jr.
LB  *Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Notre Dame, 6-1, 215, Sr.
LB  Joseph Ossai, Texas, 6-4, 235, Jr.
DB  *Patrick Surtain II, Alabama, 6-2, 202, Jr.
DB  Shaun Wade, Ohio St., 6-1, 195, Sr.
DB  Brandon Joseph, Northwestern, 6-1, 192, Fr.
DB  Talanoa Hufanga, Southern California, 6-1, 215, Jr.
P    *Pressley Harvin III, Georgia Tech, 6-0, 255, Sr.

*Unanimous First-Team Selection