Athlon Sports tabs UNLV football’s De Jesus, White Preseason All-Americans

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LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – UNLV football boasts two different preseason All-Americans for the first time in history and punt returner Jacob De Jesus and wide receiver Ricky White III were both named Second Team by Athlon Sports on Monday.

De Jesus, who last week was named Preseason Third Team All-America by Phil Steele as a kickoff returner, also plays receiver and led the nation in total return yards with 1,079 in 2023. The only player to rank in the top 15 nationally in both kick returns and punt returns, his 96-yard kickoff return in the season opener was the fourth-longest in UNLV history while his 59-yard punt return at New Mexico was the longest by a Rebel since 2003. One of three finalists for the 2023 Jet Award, given to the country’s best returner, De Jesus last year earned Second Team All-America from USA TODAY and Action Network along with Third Team from Phil Steele.

White, who last week was named Preseason Second Team All-America by Phil Steele, is college football’s leading returning receiver after finishing with a school-record 1,483 yards last fall. He tied the UNLV mark for receptions in a season with 88 and became the first Rebel ever to post five consecutive games with at least 100 receiving yards. In 2023, White was named First Team All-America by the Action Network, Second Team by the College Football Network and Third Team by Associated Press, becoming just the second UNLV WR to appear on an AP team in history and first since 1981.

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