Four Land on Associated Press All-ACC Team

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Cornerback Anthony Johnson collected another First Team All-ACC nod as he was included on the Associated Press All-ACC Team. He was joined by cornerback Fentrell Cypress II, linebacker Nick Jackson and punter Daniel Sparks, all who were listed on the AP’s second team.

AP First Team All-ACC
CB – Anthony Johnson

AP Second Team All-ACC
CB – Fentrell Cypress
LB – Nick Jackson
P – Daniel Sparks

The AP All-ACC team is voted on by a pane of 14 media members who cover the conference.

Last week, Johnson represented UVA as a First Team All-ACC selection on the league’s official All-ACC squad voted on by panel of 51 media members and each of the league’s 14 head coaches. He also garnered Second Team honors from Pro Football Focus. The Cavalier cornerback totaled 51 tackles and 14 passes defended (12 pass break ups & 2 interceptions), the second most in the ACC. His 1.4 passes defended per game were the eighth best amongst FBS defensive backs. Over the course of his five-year collegiate career, he amassed 38 passes defended, the fifth-most among active FBS defenders.

The AP recognized Jackson for the third-straight season. He is a second team All-ACC selection on the league’s official team last week. He led the team in tackles for the third-consecutive year, finishing with 104 stops. He had 10 or more tackles in six of the 10 games he played including 10 playing only the second half against Duke on Oct. 1. Jackson finishes his career with 354 tackles tied for the 11^th-most in program history.

Cypress had a breakout year for the Cavaliers, compiling 14 pass break ups, the most of any ACC defender. He started nine of the 10 games for UVA in his third season in Charlottesville. His 1.56 passes defended per game are the fourth-most in the country and he was credited with 39 tackles from his cornerback position.

Sparks matched the UVA single-season punting average record, with a 46.8 yard per kick average in 2022. He was a second team All-ACC selection on the league’s official team announced last week. Sparks was named the ACC co-Specialist of the week on Nov. 15 after he punted eight times for 409 yards against Pitt. He had three 60+ yard punts in the contest, the only UVA punter ever with three 60-yarders in a game. Of his 46 punts on the year 12 landed inside the 20 and 14 were 50 or more yards.