Western Kentucky defensive end Juwuan Jones was named a 2018 Freshman All-American, the Football Writers Association of America announced Monday.

After redshirting the 2017 campaign and making the switch from high school linebacker to collegiate defensive end, Jones’ five sacks in 2018 set a WKU FBS era record (dating back to 2009) by a freshman. He had a career-high 2.5 sacks with a forced fumble against Old Dominion on Oct. 20, which was the most sacks in a game by a Hilltopper since the 2016 Boca Raton Bowl.

The Sugar Hill, Ga., native earned a spot on the Conference USA All-Freshman Team and was the lone freshman defender to be voted All-CUSA Honorable Mention, both of which were announced Dec. 4. His five sacks and 546 total snaps led all C-USA freshman defenders.

Jones is the Hilltoppers’ third FWAA Freshman All-American since the program moved to the FBS, joining offensive lineman Brandon Ray in 2014 and kick returner Willie McNeal in 2010. The most recent WKU defensive lineman to earn any type of All-American status was Quanterus Smith, whose 2012 season garnered Phil Steele Fourth Team and Sports Illustrated Honorable Mention honors.

He joins Louisiana Tech’s Jaylon Ferguson as the only C-USA defensive linemen to be listed since the FWAA began announcing Freshman All-American Teams in 2001.

A 13-member panel of nationally prominent college football experts represented each of the FBS conferences, along with independents in the selecting the 32-player team. Both true freshmen (18 players) and redshirt freshmen (14 players) were considered.{&end}