Tulsa’s Player, Smith Earn Second-Team American Athletic Conference Honors

IRVING, Texas –– The University of Tulsa had two players named to the American Athletic Conference's second team while two players were honorable mention selections, as announced today the league office. The all-conference teams were selected by a vote of the league's coaches.

Senior defensive tackle Jaxon Player and sophomore offensive tackle Tyler Smith earned second-team all-conference honors, while senior offensive tackle Chris Paul and junior linebacker Justin Wright were named honorable mention.

Player, a first-team selection in 2020, has tallied 45 tackles, a team-best 13.5 TFL for -37 yards and added four sacks for -20 yards while leading a Tulsa defense that ranked fifth in The American for total defense, allowing 380.3 yards per game. His 13.5 TFL is ranked third in The American. Player also totaled six QB hurries, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and one pass break-up.

The 6'0" defensive tackle from Waco, Texas, has 123 career total tackles, 29 TFL for -70 yards and 6.5 sacks in his career.

A 6'6", 332-pound left tackle, Smith missed the season opener but started the remaining 11 games for the Hurricane. He had a high grade of 94-percent on 69 plays in Tulsa's 44-10 win over Temple. Like Player, the Fort Worth, Texas native was also a first-team selection in the 2020 season.

Paul, a 6'5" right tackle from Houston, Texas, played in and started 10 games for the Hurricane, missing the last two contests with an injury. He started the 2021 season opener at left tackle where he graded at 88-percent, but then moved into his normal position on the right side the remainder of the year.

From Houston, Texas, Paul graded 93-percent on 90 plays at No. 2-ranked Cincinnati and had the same grade on 95 plays at South Florida. He has already accepted an invitation to the Reese's Senior Bowl.

Smith and Paul have helped lead Tulsa's offense to a ranking of second in total offense with 436.3 yards per game and third in rushing at 187.7 yards per game.

Wright, a two-time AAC Defensive Player of the Week this season, led Tulsa with 77 tackles to rank ninth in The American despite missing the season opener. The 6'2" linebacker also recorded 5.5 TFL for -20 yards and 3.5 sacks for -16 yards. He had his first career interception, a 55-yard return for a touchdown against Oklahoma State, while adding one breakup, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery on the season.

Wright, from Abilene, Texas, was the Defensive Player of the Week after his performances against South Florida and Tulane. He totaled seven tackles and 2.5 sacks for -8 yards at USF and tallied 12 stops, including 10 solos and one TFL for -3 yards at Tulane. Wright also had a career-high 14 stops, two TFL, one sack and one forced fumble against Memphis.

Paul and Wright were both second-team American Athletic Conference selections a year ago.

Tulsa's 2021 American Athletic Conference Postseason Honors
Second-Team
Jaxon Player, DT
Tyler Smith, OT

Honorable Mention
Chris Paul, OT
Justin Wright, LB

Tulsa’s Player, Smith Earn Second-Team American Athletic Conference Honors

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Players Mentioned

Chris Paul

Jaxon Player

Tyler Smith

Justin Wright

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