Pat Nelson, CJ Sanders Named To NFF Hampshire Honor Society

[PonyPride]

From SMUMustangs.com:

Nelson, Sanders Named To NFF Hampshire Honor Society

IRVING, Texas (NFF/SMU) – Patrick Nelson and CJ Sanders have been selected as members of the 2020 National Football Foundation (NFF) Hampshire Honor Society, the organization announced Wednesday.

In its 14th year, the award celebrates college football players from all divisions of play who each maintained a cumulative 3.2 grade-point-average or better throughout their career. The Mustangs have had an honoree selected each season.

Nelson was an All-American Athletic Conference first-team selection in 2019 and set the SMU single-season sacks record with 12.0 for 85 yards. His 18.0 tackles-for-loss rank second in a season for a Mustang, and he was part of a defense that ranked first nationally in sacks per game at 3.92 and third in tackles for loss at 8.5.

Nelson posted at least a half sack in eight of the Mustangs' 13 games last season, including at least two on five occasions, and had consecutive games with multiple sacks twice.

He is working toward a Masters of Liberal Studies.

Sanders was named second-team All-AAC as a return specialist and was the FBS active leader in combined kick returns, kickoff returns, kickoff return yards, combined kick return TDs and kickoff return TDs in 2019.

He tied the SMU mark for career kickoff return touchdowns and season kickoff return touchdowns with two, and registered 949 kickoff return yards, which was second in a season for a Mustang.

Sanders also added 11 receptions for 153 yards and had 1,122 all-purpose yards.

He is working toward a Masters of Liberal Studies.

In addition to having achieved a 3.2 GPA, student-athletes must have completed their final year of playing eligibility in 2019, met all NCAA mandated progress toward degree requirements and been starters or significant contributors throughout the 2019 season.