Five Irish Named Phil Steele All-Americans, 13 Tabbed All-ACC

NOTRE DAME, Indiana — Five Notre Dame student-athletes were selected to Phil Steele’s All-America teams, in addition to two honorable mentions. Those five join a total group of 13 Irish players who earned All-ACC team honors from Phil Steele.

Graduate student offensive lineman Liam Eichenberg, senior linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah and sophomore safety Kyle Hamilton were named first-team All-American, while redshirt freshman running back Kyren Williams and senior offensive lineman Aaron Banks claimed third-team honors. Graduate student offensive lineman Tommy Kraemer and junior offensive lineman Jarrett Patterson earned honorable mentions for the All-America teams.

On the All-ACC teams, Patterson, Banks, Eichenberg, Owusu-Koramoah and Hamilton all claimed first-team conference honors. Williams and Kraemer were named to the second team. They were joined by graduate student wide receiver Javon McKinley, senior offensive lineman Robert Hainsey, senior defensive lineman Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa and graduate student cornerback Nick McCloud on the third team, and graduate student quarterback Ian Book and freshman tight end Michael Mayer on the fourth team.

First Team All-America

Liam Eichenberg

Totaling 38-consecutive starts on his career, Eichenberg has been tabbed as one of the best linemen in the country, being named a finalist for the Outland Trophy and recipient of the ACC’s Jacobs Blocking Trophy. He is a consensus All-American, having already been named to the Sporting News, FWAA and AFCA All-America first teams in 2020. He was twice named ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week, and was a member of an offensive line unit that was a finalist for the 2020 Joe Moore Award. He was also named first team All-ACC by the conference.

Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah

The 2020 Butkus Award winner and ACC Defensive Player of the Year, Owusu-Koramoah is widely regarded as one of the best defensive players in the nation. Also a finalist for the Bednarik Award and Bowden Trophy, and semifinalist for the Lott IMPACT Trophy, Owusu-Koramoah was also a finalist for the Nagurski Award and named first-team All-ACC by the conference. The senior has totaled 62 tackles (42 solo), 11.0 TFL, 1.5 sacks, one interception, three PBU, two FR and three FF on the season. Owusu-Koramoah is a consensus All-American, having been named already to the Associated Press, Sporting News, AFCA and FWAA All-America first teams, with just the Walter Camp team yet to be announced.

Kyle Hamilton

An All-ACC First Team selection (chosen by the conference) and Bednarik Award semifinalist, sophomore Kyle Hamilton leads the Irish defense with 63 tackles (51 solo) in 2020, even with only 11 games played. Along with a 14-yard interception vs. Clemson in the ACC Championship, he has posted six PBUs, 4.5 TFL and two QB hits. He was selected to the FWAA All-America First Team and the Associated Press All-America Third Team.

Third Team All-America

Aaron Banks

Banks has racked up 31-career starts and is a consensus All-American for 2020, having been named to the Associated Press and AFCA All-America first teams. He was named ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week for his performance vs. Clemson (11/7). Selected to the All-ACC First Team, Banks is part of an offensive line that led the ACC and ranks seventh in the FBS in time of possession, controlling the ball for 33:56 minutes of game time and winning the time of possession battle in 11-of-12 games this season. The 33:56 time of possession average leads the ACC by more than two minutes per game.

Kyren Williams

A semifinalist for the Doak Walker Award, and selected by the conference as second-team All-ACC, redshirt freshman Kyren Williams has taken college football by storm, reaching the 1,000 rushing yard mark in the regular season finale vs. Syracuse. He has received an ACC weekly honor five times out of ten possible games this season. He currently totals 1,125 yards and 13 touchdowns, adding 35 receptions for 313 yards, in 2020. Williams was named second-team All-ACC by the conference.

Honorable Mention All-America

Tommy Kraemer

Kraemer owns the most career starts by an Irish offensive player in 2020, ending the season with 39 under his belt. Returning to the field in 2020 after a season-ending injury in 2019, Kraemer produced at a high level, even after missing a game due to injury. Named ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week at Boston College, and selected to the All-ACC team chosen by the conference, Kraemer is a member of a unit that helps move the chains at a high level on third down. The Irish led the ACC and ranked ninth in the FBS in third down conversion percentage with a remarkable 49.4 success rate.

Jarrett Patterson

Patterson, a member of both the Outland and Rimington Trophy Watch Lists, earned a nod after only being able to play in eight games this season. Sidelined due to injury, Patterson’s performance in those eight games was impressive, and he finished 2020 with 21-career starts under his belt, while being named by the conference to the All-ACC Third Team.

First Team All-ACC

• Jarrett Patterson
• Aaron Banks
• Liam Eichenberg
• Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah
• Kyle Hamilton

Second Team All-ACC

• Kyren Williams
• Tommy Kraemer

Third Team All-ACC

Javon McKinley

McKinley led the Irish in receiving yards (717), while tying for the lead in receptions (42) in 2020. He added three receiving touchdowns. Noting All-ACC Honorable Mention recognition from the conference, he was named ACC Receiver of the Week for his performance against Syracuse in the regular season finale. McKinley also posted one rush for 15 yards.

Robert Hainsey

Hainsey, a mainstay on the Irish O-Line and selected by the conference as All-ACC Second Team, was a rare two-time team captain, and was a finalist for the Senior CLASS Award, also being named Senior CLASS Award First Team All-America. He was named ACC co-Offensive Lineman of the Week for his performance vs. South Florida, and has totaled 34-career starts. Also returning from a season-ending injury in 2019, Hainsey is a member of a line that has paved the way for a 1,000-yard rusher in Williams, and two additional players who have totaled more than 480 rushing yards on the season (RB Chris Tyree  – 496, QB Ian Book – 485).

Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa

Tagovailoa-Amosa, selected by the conference to the All-ACC Second Team, has totaled 17 tackles and 6.0 TFL with 2.5 sacks on the season. His two fumble recoveries rank tied for 12th among all FBS players and third in the ACC. As a group, the Irish defense ranks 12th in the FBS in third-down defense (31.4 percent), eighth in fumbles recovered (10), 17th in rushing defense (113.0 yards allowed per game), 14th in scoring defense (19.7 points allowed per game) and 17th in team TFL (7.5 per game).

Nick McCloud 

A graduate transfer, McCloud quickly became a consistent presence for Notre Dame’s starting defense. Named to the Pro Football Focus Team of the Week for his performance at Pitt, McCloud totaled a team-leading eight PBUs, as well as 33 tackles (22 solo), 2.0 TFL, one interception and two fumble recoveries. His fumble recoveries rank tied for 12th among all FBS players and third in the ACC. He was previously named third team All-ACC by the conference.

Fourth Team All-ACC 

Ian Book 

The winningest quarterback in Notre Dame history (30-5), Book has completed 228 passes for 2,830 yards and 15 touchdowns, also adding 116 rushes for 485 yards (ranks third on the team). The graduate student and team captain won the 2020 Pop Warner National College Football Award, and was named third team All-ACC by the conference. He is a finalist for the Manning Award, as well as a semifinalist for the Maxwell, Davey O’Brien and Johnny Unitas Golden Arm awards, while finishing in the Top 10 in Heisman voting.

Michael Mayer

True freshman Michael Mayer ties for the lead on the Irish offense with 42 receptions, totaling 450 yards, adding two touchdowns. His 42 receptions in 2020 are the most in a single season by a Notre Dame true freshman tight end in Irish history, and rank tied for seventh among all Notre Dame tight ends for single-season receptions. He was named to the Pro Football Focus Team of the Week at Pitt and to the FWAA Freshman All-American Watch List, and was selected by the conference to the All-ACC Third Team.