April 25, 2008
ATLANTA – Senior defensive lineman Vance Walker and senior offensive lineman Andrew Gardner have been selected preseason All-Americans by NationalChamps.net as part of their 2008 College Football Preview. Walker was named to the first-team, while Gardner is a second-team selection.
Walker is coming off a 2007 campaign where he was a First Team All-ACC pick. He also earned Rivals.com First Team All-ACC honors and was a Third Team AP and Rivals.com All-American. Walker was one of the top defensive linemen in the ACC and emerged in 2007 as an outstanding run stopper and pass-rusher. He enters his senior season tied for 12th in Tech history with 8.5 sacks. Last season, he started all 13 games at defensive tackle and his three forced fumbles were tied for seventh in the ACC and tied for 55th nationally. He was also fifth in the ACC and tied for 34th nationally with 8.5 sacks as well as ninth in the ACC and tied for 68th nationally in tackles-for-loss with 14.0.
Gardner was a first-team All-ACC performer at offensive tackle last year and should be considered one of the nation’s top offensive linemen in 2008. He was a key reason why Tech ranked first in the ACC in rushing and ranked near the top of the ACC in fewest sacks allowed in 2007. A three-year starter, he has gained more than 50 pounds since arriving at Tech. Gardner has made 39 consecutive starts and helped former teammate Tashard Choice lead the ACC in rushing in both 2006 and 2007. Gardner also earned Rivals.com second-team All-ACC honors a year ago.
This will be the ninth season NationalChamps.net has released an annual College Football Preview, complete with analysis, projections, depth charts and unit rankings. The NationalChamps.net TV Listings contain a week-by-week and game-by-game schedule breakdown, complete for every team with announced television times and channels. These are the most comprehensive college football TV listings available nationwide.
