Oklahoma State University Athletics
Rodriguez, Hembrough Named to AFCA All-America Team
December 15, 2021 | Cowboy Football
STILLWATER – Oklahoma State linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez and long snapper Matt Hembrough were named second team selections to the 2021 AFCA FBS Coaches' All-America Team, it was announced Wednesday.
The honor adds to long list of All-America accolades for Rodriguez this year, as he has already been named to All-America teams by The Sporting News, the Associated Press, the FWAA, ESPN, USA TODAY, CBS Sports, The Athletic, The Action Network and Phil Steele.
Rodriguez is the fourth linebacker in Oklahoma State history to earn All-America honors, joining Cleveland Vann (1973), John Corker (1978) and Ricky Young (1981). Hembrough's honor marks the first time an OSU long snapper has been named an All-American, as this year also marks the first time an NCAA-recognized All-America team has included long snappers on its roster.
A senior from Wagoner, Oklahoma, Rodriguez was a 2021 Butkus Award semifinalist and a first team All-Big 12 pick by both the coaches and the AP. He ranks as the 2021 Big 12 leader in tackles with 119, and he is ranked among the top 25 players in the FBS in total tackles, solo tackles, forced fumbles and fumbles recovered.
For his career, Rodriguez is a three-time All-Big 12 selection and has led OSU in tackles in 2019, 2020 and 2021. He ranks No. 3 among all active FBS players with 246 solo stops and is No. 5 with 398 total tackles.
Rodriguez is also the leading player on a Cowboy defense that enters Bowl Season ranked among the FBS leaders in sacks (No. 1), tackles for loss (No. 1), third down defense (No. 2), total defense (No. 3), rushing defense (No. 5), scoring defense (No. 8) and more.
A senior from Lisle, Illinois, Hembrough has been OSU's starting long snapper each of the past three seasons and has a 100% success rate on more than 370 career snaps, including more than 185 snaps each on both punts and place kicks.
In 2021, Hembrough is perfect on 135 total snaps, ranking as the fourth-most snaps of any FBS long snapper according to Pro Football Focus. PFF also lists him as the fourth-highest graded overall FBS long snapper and as the highest graded long snapper among all players with more than 120 snaps this season.
Off the field, Hembrough is a three-time selection to the first team Academic All-Big 12 team. He has also been listed on the President's Honor Roll twice and has been on the Dean's Honor Roll four times.
Oklahoma State football players have earned 27 spots on NCAA-recognized All-America teams since 2008, and 2021 marks the fifth-consecutive season that at least one Cowboy has earned the honor.
Oklahoma State Players on NCAA Recognized All-America Teams Since 2008
The honor adds to long list of All-America accolades for Rodriguez this year, as he has already been named to All-America teams by The Sporting News, the Associated Press, the FWAA, ESPN, USA TODAY, CBS Sports, The Athletic, The Action Network and Phil Steele.
Rodriguez is the fourth linebacker in Oklahoma State history to earn All-America honors, joining Cleveland Vann (1973), John Corker (1978) and Ricky Young (1981). Hembrough's honor marks the first time an OSU long snapper has been named an All-American, as this year also marks the first time an NCAA-recognized All-America team has included long snappers on its roster.
A senior from Wagoner, Oklahoma, Rodriguez was a 2021 Butkus Award semifinalist and a first team All-Big 12 pick by both the coaches and the AP. He ranks as the 2021 Big 12 leader in tackles with 119, and he is ranked among the top 25 players in the FBS in total tackles, solo tackles, forced fumbles and fumbles recovered.
For his career, Rodriguez is a three-time All-Big 12 selection and has led OSU in tackles in 2019, 2020 and 2021. He ranks No. 3 among all active FBS players with 246 solo stops and is No. 5 with 398 total tackles.
Rodriguez is also the leading player on a Cowboy defense that enters Bowl Season ranked among the FBS leaders in sacks (No. 1), tackles for loss (No. 1), third down defense (No. 2), total defense (No. 3), rushing defense (No. 5), scoring defense (No. 8) and more.
A senior from Lisle, Illinois, Hembrough has been OSU's starting long snapper each of the past three seasons and has a 100% success rate on more than 370 career snaps, including more than 185 snaps each on both punts and place kicks.
In 2021, Hembrough is perfect on 135 total snaps, ranking as the fourth-most snaps of any FBS long snapper according to Pro Football Focus. PFF also lists him as the fourth-highest graded overall FBS long snapper and as the highest graded long snapper among all players with more than 120 snaps this season.
Off the field, Hembrough is a three-time selection to the first team Academic All-Big 12 team. He has also been listed on the President's Honor Roll twice and has been on the Dean's Honor Roll four times.
Oklahoma State football players have earned 27 spots on NCAA-recognized All-America teams since 2008, and 2021 marks the fifth-consecutive season that at least one Cowboy has earned the honor.
Oklahoma State Players on NCAA Recognized All-America Teams Since 2008
| 2008 | Dez Bryant | WR | First Team, Consensus |
| 2008 | Perrish Cox | KR | First Team |
| 2008 | Kendall Hunter | RB | First Team |
| 2009 | Perrish Cox | CB | First Team |
| 2009 | Russell Okung | OL | First Team, Unanimous |
| 2010 | Justin Blackmon | WR | First Team, Unanimous |
| 2010 | Kendall Hunter | RB | First Team, Consensus |
| 2010 | Quinn Sharp | P | First Team |
| 2010 | Dan Bailey | K | Second Team |
| 2011 | Justin Blackmon | WR | First Team, Unanimous |
| 2011 | Levy Adcock | OL | First Team, Consensus |
| 2011 | Grant Garner | OL | First Team |
| 2011 | Markelle Martin | S | First Team |
| 2011 | Quinn Sharp | K | First Team |
| 2011 | Brodrick Brown | CB | Third Team |
| 2012 | Quinn Sharp | K | First Team |
| 2013 | Justin Gilbert | CB | First Team, Consensus |
| 2015 | Emmanuel Ogbah | DE | First Team |
| 2017 | James Washington | WR | First Team, Unanimous |
| 2017 | Mason Rudolph | QB | Second Team |
| 2017 | Tre Flowers | S | Second Team |
| 2018 | Tylan Wallace | WR | First Team |
| 2019 | Chuba Hubbard | RB | First Team, Unanimous |
| 2020 | Tylan Wallace | WR | Second Team |
| 2021 | Malcolm Rodriguez | LB | Second Team |
| 2021 | Kolby Harvell-Peel | S | Third Team |
| 2021 | Matt Hembrough | LS | Second Team |
Players Mentioned
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