Johnson, Wheeler Earn All-America Honors

Nov. 30, 2006

ATLANTA–Georgia Tech wide receiver Calvin Johnson has been named a first-team all-America for the second straight year, while Yellow Jacket linebacker Philip Wheeler earned second-team all-America recognition.

Johnson, the junior from Tyrone, Ga., was named to the American Football Coaches’ Association (AFCA) all-America team for the second year in a row.

Johnson, who is third in the nation with 13 touchdown catches, is Tech’s first two-time, first-team all-America since Marco Coleman in 1990-91. A total of 48 different Yellow Jacket players have earned first-team all-America recognition, but only six, including Johnson, have done so more than once.

Johnson was also named to the all-America first-team by Rivals. Earlier this week he was named Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year as well as first-team all-ACC, and he is also a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s top receiver.

Wheeler, a junior from Columbus, Ga., was tabbed to Rivals’ second team.

The Tech linebacker paces the Jackets with eight sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss. He is the leader of a Yellow Jacket defense that ranks 11th nationally in rushing defense and eighth in pass efficiency defense while holding seven opponents to one offensive touchdown or less.