USC Left Tackle Chad Wheeler Named First Team All-American

Sep 3, 2016; Arlington, TX, USA; USC USC Trojans offensive tackle Chad Wheeler (72) in action during the game against the Alabama Crimson Tide at AT&T Stadium. Alabama defeats USC 52-6. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 3, 2016; Arlington, TX, USA; USC USC Trojans offensive tackle Chad Wheeler (72) in action during the game against the Alabama Crimson Tide at AT&T Stadium. Alabama defeats USC 52-6. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /
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USC redshirt senior left tackle Chad Wheeler was named a first team All-American by CampusInsiders.com, becoming the Trojans third All-American in 2016.

A third name will go up on USC’s All-American walk after this season, as Trojan left tackle Chad Wheeler was voted to the Campus Insiders All-American first team.

The All-American nod is the cherry on top of an exceptional redshirt senior season for Wheeler, who was also named to the All-Pac-12 first team and took home honors as one of USC’s Linemen of the Year.

The left tackle protected Sam Darnold’s blindside and helped the Trojans limit opposing teams to just 11 sacks on the season — the best mark in the conference.

Wheeler was limited for USC’s first two games of the season after missing time during fall camp with plantar fasciitis. Once he returned to the line up, he proved an important cog in the Trojan offensive line.

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In 2015, Wheeler was an All-Pac-12 second teamer. He won USC’s Bob Chandler Award for outstanding athletics, academics and character in 2014. As a freshman in 2013 he was named to Athlon’s Freshman All-American third team.

That makes three All-Americans for the Trojans in 2016.

Right tackle Zach Banner was named to the CollegeSportsMadness.com first team while Adoree’ Jackson became USC’s first unanimous All-American with nods from the AP, Sporting News and Walter Camp as a cornerback, the FWAA as a punt returner and the AFCA as an all-purpose player.

Campus Insiders also recognized Jackson as their all-purpose first teamer.