Rashad Weaver named first-team AP All-American

Pitt defensive end Rashad Weaver was once again named a first-team All-American on Monday. Weaver previously earned first-team All-America honors from CBS, ESPN and Pro Football Focus, and the latest outlet to recognize his outstanding 2020 season was the Associated Press.

The significance of Weaver’s latest honor is that the Associated Press is one of the five outlets that count toward consensus and unanimous All-America honors, with the others being the American Football Coaches Association, the Football Writers Association of America, Sporting News, and the Walter Camp Football Foundation.

With Weaver already a popular choice among other respected outlets, the possibility exists that he could become Pitt’s first consensus All-American since Quadree Henderson in 2016 or the school’s first unanimous All-America selection since Aaron Donald in 2013.

In 2020, the 6’5”, 270-pound defensive end came up with 14.5 tackles for losses and 7.5 sacks in nine games. Both were career highs, and Weaver’s 14.5 tackles for losses led the team, while his 7.5 sacks ranked second to the nine from Patrick Jones II. And thanks in large part to Weaver and Jones, Pitt led the nation in sacks and tackles for losses, with a total of 46 and 111 during a shortened season.

Next up for Weaver is the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama, where he will look to further boost his draft stock. After that, he will likely take part in the NFL combine in Indianapolis, which could also benefit him ahead of the NFL draft, which will get underway on April 29.