LINCOLN — Nebraska senior linebacker Lavonte David on Monday was named a first-team All-American by the American Football Coaches Association.
The 6-1, 225-pound David has led Nebraska in tackles the past two seasons and is one of the top five tacklers in school history despite playing just two seasons as a Husker.
David is the 96th first-team All-American at Nebraska. When including 14 two-time selections, David gives NU 110 first-team All-America selections.
David is joined at the linebacker positions by Georgia sophomore Jarvis Jones and Alabama junior Dont'a Hightower.
David is one of six Big Ten Conference players named to the AFCA All-America team, and he gives Nebraska an AFCA first-team selection for the third consecutive year. Ndamukong Suh was selected in 2009; Prince Amukamara in 2010.
Nebraska has had 46 players earn 51 overall first-team AFCA All-American honors.
A finalist for the Butkus Award and the winner of Big Ten Linebacker-of-the-Year honors, David finished the regular season with a team-leading 122 tackles. He had five games with double-figure tackle totals, including four in Big Ten play. David also had two interceptions, two fumbles caused, two fumble recoveries and 11 tackles for loss, while ranking second on the team with 3.5 sacks.
The junior-college transfer led Nebraska in tackles seven times in 2011, and 14 times in 26 career games at Nebraska. His 274 career tackles are fifth in school history, while his 122 tackles this season rank 10th on NU's single-season list.
Last season, David registered a school-record 152 tackles and was a second-team All-American selection by the Associated Press.
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