SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Dec. 8, 2021 (Gephardt Daily) — The University of Utah Football program landed two student-athletes on the 2021 CBS Sports All-America team with linebacker Devin Lloyd and return specialist Britain Covey earning first-team honors.
“This is Lloyd’s fourth-career All-America honor after earning Reese’s Senior Bowl All-America honors this season and Sporting News and Phil Steele in 2020,” said a news release from the U of U. “For Covey, this is his third-career All-America selection after being named to the Phil Steele list in 2020 and earning Freshman All-America in 2015.”
Both Lloyd and Covey were named Pac-12 All-Conference first-team selections this season with Lloyd earning Pat Tillman Defensive Player of the Year, the news release said. It was Lloyd’s second-straight first-team honor with Covey being named to his fifth All-Pac-12 team including third on the first-team.
Lloyd is ranked No. 2 in the FBS this season with 22.0 tackles for loss, complimenting his 106 total tackles, which ranks second in the Pac-12. The Chula Vista, Calif., native has had at least 1.0 tackle for loss in 10 of Utah’s 13 games this season, including his career high 5.0 against Stanford.
Lloyd also had six pass breakups and four interceptions, tying for the lead among FBS linebackers in picks, according to the U of U news release. He is one of just two linebackers nationally that has multiple pick-sixes this season, including his 34-yard return in Utah’s Pac-12 Championship winning game against Oregon, earning him MVP of the game.
Covey, who is Utah’s all-time leader in career punt return yards (1,092), leads the Pac-12 and is No. 3 in the FBS with 14.7 yards per punt return. His 427 total punt return yards this season leads the FBS with his two punt return touchdowns also tying for the lead nationally.
The two-time Pac-12 Special Teams Player of the Week had a career-high 132 punt return yards against San Diego State, the most by a player in the FBS this season. His 80-yard punt return for a touchdown against the Aztecs was the fourth-longest in program history and ranks as the second-longest in the Pac-12 this year.
To read more about Lloyd click here and to read more about Covey click here.
The Utes return to action on Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022 when they take on the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Rose Bowl. The game will kick off at 1 p.m. and will air on ESPN.
