It’s time to find out which Georgia football players make the All-American teams and win national awards as the college football regular season draws to a close. Linebacker Jalon Walker, who earned the 2024 Butkus Award, which is given to the finest linebacker in the country, is one of those guys who has already received a significant honor.
It would seem that if Walker were to win this prize, he would also be eligible for numerous other significant accolades. That hasn’t been the case, though.
Walke’s inclusion on the All-SEC second team was the first illogical choice. However, the Associate Press (AP) All-America team selections further denigrated Walker, which made the situation worse.
The @AP All-America Team has chosen five Dawgs 🌺🇸 #GoDawgs pic.twitter.com/B3HOWqhHAF.
— December 16, 2024, Georgia Football (@GeorgiaFootball)
Jalon Walker is named to the third team of AP All-America.
Guard Tate Ratledge made the third team, while safety Maliki Starks, kicker Brett Thorson, and guard Dylan Fairchild were among the five Georgia players selected to one of the AP All-America teams. Those four players should be quite proud of all those wonderful honors.
Walker, however, was only selected for the third team despite being the fifth and last Bulldog to be named to an AP All-America team. How can Walker, according to the Associated Press, be chosen the top linebacker in the country but only make the third team?
This is yet another instance of AP voters being clueless, a recurring occurrence in the weekly AP Poll conducted during the season.
Kirby Smart said that Walker’s primary objective before even setting foot on the Georgia campus was to earn the Butkus Award, which he was fortunate to do. Walker ultimately took home the most important prize, and he now has the opportunity to add a second National Championship to his list of accomplishments.
