FLORENCE, Ala. -- For the second straight year, University of North Alabama senior defensive back K.J. Smith of Perry, Ga., has been named to the first team of the 2021 Academic All-America® Football Team, selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

The honor recognizes the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom.

The CoSIDA Academic All-America® program separately recognizes football honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA.

Smith was previously named to the Division I, District 4 team Academic All-District team for a second straight year as well.

Smith is one of 12 members of the 2020-21 Academic All-America® Division I Football Team with a 4.00 GPA. There are 25 members with at least a 3.90 GPA as either undergraduate or graduate student-athletes. The 25 members on the first team have an average GPA of 3.90.

Smith has a perfect 4.0 GPA as he pursues a Master of Science in Health and Human Performance degree. He previously graduated with a 4.0 GPA while earning a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies, with an emphasis on Health.

Smith is also one of nine repeat selections from previous Division I Academic All-America® teams. That list includes Jake Chisholm (University of Dayton), Ezra Gray (Alabama State), Charlie Kolar (Iowa State University), Blaise Andries (University of Minnesota), Wes Genant (South Dakota State University), Rick Mottram (Bucknell University), Spencer DeMedal (Duquesne University), Kekaula Kaniho (Boise State University) and Smith (University of North Alabama).

Smith's selection marks the 26th time that a UNA student-athlete has been selected Academic All-America® and he is one of just eight Lions to earn first-team honors. UNA's previous Academic All-America® football selections include Eddie Evans in 1995, Will Batson in 2009, Lee Mayhall in 2014 and 2015 and Smith in 2019.

A national finalist for the STATS FCS Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete of the Year award in 2019 and 2020, Smith was selected as the 2019-20 Big South Conference Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year. He was one of just 25 student-athletes from a field of more than 25,000 playing Division I FBS and FCS college football to be selected first-team CoSIDA Academic All-America® last season, becoming UNA's first Division I Academic All-America® selection in any sport since the Lions began their transition in 2018.

Smith finished the 2020 season as the team's fourth-leading tackler with 20 total stops. He had 12 solos and eight assists with one tackle for loss of 14 yards, one interception for 13 yards and two pass break-ups. A three-year starter at UNA, he has 123 career tackles to go with six interceptions for 102 yards and 15 break-ups.

CoSIDA DIVISION I ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICA® FOOTBALL TEAM
FIRST TEAM Pos. Name School Yr. GPA Major
QB Mac Jones University of Alabama Gr. 4.00/4.00 Communication Studies (UG) / Sports Hospitality (G)

RB Jake Chisholm (2) University of Dayton Jr. 3.98 Pre-Med

RB Ezra Gray (1) Alabama State Gr. 4.00/4.00 CIS (UG) / Applied Technologies (G)

WR Britain Covey University of Utah Sr. 3.86 Business

WR Austin Williams Mississippi State University Gr. 4.00/4.00 Finance (UG) / MBA (G)

TE Charlie Kolar (1) Iowa State University Sr. 3.99 Mechanical Engineering

OL Blaise Andries (2) University of Minnesota Sr. 3.85 Mathematics

OL Mike Caliendo Western Michigan University Gr. 3.90/3.88 Biological Sciences

OL Harry Crider Indiana University Gr. 3.90/3.96 Criminal Justice & Public Safety

OL Landon Dickerson University of Alabama Gr. 3.68/3.72 Sports Mgmt. (UG) / MBA (G)

OL Wes Genant ($) (%) South Dakota State University Sr. 3.89 Biochemistry / Pre-Medicine

K Anders Carlson Auburn University Gr. 3.92 Pro Flight Management / Aviation

DL Thomas Booker Stanford University Jr. 3.88 Economics / Communication

DL Matt Henningsen University of Wisconsin Gr. 4.00 Electrical Engineering

DL Tarron Jackson Coastal Carolina University Sr. 3.43 Mathematics

DL Kingsley Jonathan Syracuse University Sr. 3.71 Information Management & Technology

LB Silas Kelly Coastal Carolina University Gr. 3.85/3.84 MBA

LB Rick Mottram (1) Bucknell University Sr. 3.96 Mechanical Engineering

LB Riley Whimpey Boise State University Sr. 3.82 Business

DB Spencer DeMedal (1) Duquesne University Sr. 3.97 Biology

DB Robby Hauck University of Montana Sr. 3.95 Management Info. Systems

DB Kekaula Kaniho (2) Boise State University Sr. 3.96 Health Science

DB K.J. Smith (1) University of North Alabama Gr. 4.00/4.00 Health (G)

P John Haggerty III Western Kentucky University Gr. 4.00/4.00 Organizational Leadership (G)

ST Tyler Gillikin Northwestern University Gr. 3.98 Biomedical Sciences (UG) / Medical School (G)

SECOND TEAM Pos. Name School Yr. GPA Major

QB Brock Purdy Iowa State University Jr. 3.66 Business

RB Jermar Jefferson Oregon State University Jr. 3.49 Sociology

RB Charles Williams UNLV Gr. 3.41/3.45 Journalism & Media Studies (UG) / General Studies (G)

WR Thomas Hennigan App State Sr. 3.53 Marketing & Sales

WR Tyler Page SMU Sr. 3.92 Finance

TE Logan Carter Oklahoma State University Gr. 3.72/4.00 Health Care Administration (G)

OL Drew Dalman Stanford University Sr. 3.61 Mechanical Engineering

OL Jake Dixon Duquesne University Gr. 3.96/4.00 Accounting

OL Drew Himmelman Illinois State University Gr. 3.82/4.00 Exercise Science (UG) / Biomechanics (G)

OL Austin Stidham Troy University Sr. 3.91 Biology / Biomedical Sciences

OL Mike Van Hoeven Eastern Michigan University Gr. 4.00/4.00 Exercise Physiology

K Jet Toner Stanford University Gr. 3.65/3.87 Science, Tech. & Society (UG) / Media Studies (G)

DL Marcus Cushine Alabama A&M University Jr. 3.80 Criminal Justice

DL Tyriq Harris Charlotte Sr. 3.65 Biology / Pre-Bus Admin

DL Nick Heninger Utah State University Gr. 4.00/3.40 Unmanned Aerial Systems

DL Juwuan Jones Western Kentucky University Gr. 3.75/4.00 Sport Mgmt. (UG) / Teaching (Special Ed) (G)

LB Logan Backhaus South Dakota State University Sr. 3.65 Human Biology

LB Nick Bolton University of Missouri Jr. 3.60 Parks, Recreation & Sport / Sport Management

LB Ryan Greenhagen Fordham University Jr. 3.83 Business Administration

DB Bryce Cosby Ball State University Sr. 3.44 Telecommunications

DB Pat Fields University of Oklahoma Jr. 3.81 Accounting

DB Sean Mahone West Virginia University Gr. 3.60/3.69 Management Information Systems (UG) / MBA (G)

DB Jalen Pitre Baylor University Gr. 3.61/3.61 Educational Psychology

DB Noah Williams Stanford University Sr. 3.90 Product Design

P James Smith University of Cincinnati Sr. 3.84 Communication

ST Kyle Gibbs U.S. Naval Academy Sr. 3.87 Ocean Engineering

CoSIDA Academic All-America® Team Member of the Year: Mac Jones, University of Alabama

(1) -- Academic All-America® Division I first team selection in 2019

(2) – Academic All-America® Division I second team selection in 2019

($) – Academic All-America® Division I second team selection in 2018

(%) – Academic All-America® Division I DB     Alex Spillum Coastal Carolina University Jr. 3.56 Business Management
P     Trent Schneider University of South Florida Jr. 4.00 Communication