USA College Football Selects 10 Florida Tech Panthers As All-Americans

By  //  December 16, 2015

Florida-Tech-All-Americans-USA-College-Football-580-1
In another showing of the exceptional 2015 season for Florida Tech football, the Panthers have landed 10 players on the USA College Football All-American Teams. (FIT Image)

BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE, FLORIDA – In another showing of the exceptional 2015 season for Florida Tech football, the Panthers have landed 10 players on the USA College Football All-American Teams.

Adding to his First Team All-Gulf South Conference and Second Team Conference Commissioner’s Association All-Super Region Two laurels, guard Kevin Delgado represents the FIT offensive line on the first team.

He is joined by tight end Gabe Hughes, who registered 566 receiving yards and a trio of trips to the end zone in 2015 en route to first team all-conference and second team all-region status.

J.J Sanders
J.J Sanders

Reigning GSC Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Sanders rounds out the first team honorees for the Panthers. The converted defensive end led the conference in tackles for loss with 18.0 and tied for third in sacks with 6.5. Sanders tallied 59 total tackles, second most on the team.

Manny Abad
Manny Abad

Corner Manny Abad was selected to the second team after notching 11 passes defensed and 10 breakups on the year. The Cuban native registered 39 tackles in 2015 leading to first team all-conference and second team all-region laurels.

Abad’s battering mate, Leo Alba II, was also named Second Team All-American. The senior ranked third in the conference with nine breakups to earn his first All-GSC nod.

Senior tackle Matt Garcia is FIT’s other All-American representative from the offensive line. Garcia finished his Panther career with a Second Team All-GSC selection.

Kenny Johnston
Kenny Johnston
T.J. Lowder
T.J. Lowder

Following a breakout year in which he reeled in 43 passes for 787 yards, third most in the conference, tight end Kenny Johnston landed on the second team. Johnston snagged a league-best 10 touchdown passes to garner first team all-conference and all-region honors.

In his lone season in Crimson and Gray T.J. Lowder made a statement. Lowder adds Second Team All-American honors to his second team all-GSC award. The FIU transfer caught 46 passes, third most in the GSC, for 616 yards and five scores.

Center Blake Stone rounds out the All-American selections for the Panther offensive line, garnering second team status. The Charleston Southern transfer took over at center for FIT and was more than serviceable, being bestowed with a second team all-conference honor.

Antwuan Haynes
Antwuan Haynes

True freshman speedster Antwuan Haynes is FIT’s only honoree on the rookie squad. Haynes rushed for 560 yards and three touchdowns, while adding 641 kickoff return yards on 31 attempts.

The Fort Lauderdale, Florida native also housed the first punt return in program history against Fort Valley State. Haynes was named the GSC Offensive Freshman of the Year for 2015 and a second team all-conference honoree.

The Panthers garnered six All-Americans from USA College Football in 2014, while seven FIT players made the list in 2013.