TEMPE – Arizona State freshman cornerback Chase Lucas has been named to the 2017 USA Today Freshman All-America Team, as announced by the publication today.
Lucas earned Pac-12 Second-Team honors at defensive back after an incredible freshman campaign in 2017, despite never playing a single snap at Division I cornerback in his career prior to this season and not playing as a day-to-day player at the position in high school.
He was the only freshman to be named to either the Pac-12 First or Second teams this season. He became the first freshman to earned First or Second team honors on offense or defense since Oregon running back Royce Freeman earned Second-Team offense honors in 2014 (UO's Charles Nelson and USC's JuJu Smith made that team as second specialists).
Lucas was the first defensive freshman to make the All-Pac-12 team since UCLA's Myles Jack in 2013 and became the first freshman defensive back to make the First or Second teams since Brandon Browner did so for Oregon State back in 2003.
He has allowed just 40 catches despite being targeted 78 times this season for a menial 51.2 completion percentage while allowing an NFL QBR of 72.4 with two interceptions and six passes defensed.
Despite being targeted more than any of the 23 Pac-12 corners that have played at least 60 percent of snaps this season (once every 4.6 passing plays), Lucas has allowed the fifth-lowest completion percentage of any corner in the conference – regardless of year.
Lucas finished the season with 53 tackles – good for fifth on the team – with a team-leading seven pass breakups and two interceptions.
Lucas joins a growing list of prominent Sun Devil freshmen that have had an immediate impact in recent years, becoming the 11th ASU player to be named a Freshman All-America since 2012 joining N'Keal Harry, Kareem Orr, JoJo Wicker, DJ Calhoun, Tashon Smallwood, Demario Richard, Zane Gonzalez, Salamo Fiso, D.J. Foster and Jaxon Hood.
Lucas earned Pac-12 Second-Team honors at defensive back after an incredible freshman campaign in 2017, despite never playing a single snap at Division I cornerback in his career prior to this season and not playing as a day-to-day player at the position in high school.
He was the only freshman to be named to either the Pac-12 First or Second teams this season. He became the first freshman to earned First or Second team honors on offense or defense since Oregon running back Royce Freeman earned Second-Team offense honors in 2014 (UO's Charles Nelson and USC's JuJu Smith made that team as second specialists).
Lucas was the first defensive freshman to make the All-Pac-12 team since UCLA's Myles Jack in 2013 and became the first freshman defensive back to make the First or Second teams since Brandon Browner did so for Oregon State back in 2003.
He has allowed just 40 catches despite being targeted 78 times this season for a menial 51.2 completion percentage while allowing an NFL QBR of 72.4 with two interceptions and six passes defensed.
Despite being targeted more than any of the 23 Pac-12 corners that have played at least 60 percent of snaps this season (once every 4.6 passing plays), Lucas has allowed the fifth-lowest completion percentage of any corner in the conference – regardless of year.
Lucas finished the season with 53 tackles – good for fifth on the team – with a team-leading seven pass breakups and two interceptions.
Lucas joins a growing list of prominent Sun Devil freshmen that have had an immediate impact in recent years, becoming the 11th ASU player to be named a Freshman All-America since 2012 joining N'Keal Harry, Kareem Orr, JoJo Wicker, DJ Calhoun, Tashon Smallwood, Demario Richard, Zane Gonzalez, Salamo Fiso, D.J. Foster and Jaxon Hood.
