Notre Dame redshirt junior offensive lineman Ronnie Stanley and junior linebacker Jaylon Smith were both named consensus All-Americans by the NCAA, becoming the first pair of Irish teammates to be named consensus All-Americans in 22 years.
To be named a consensus All-American, a player must be selected to at least three first-team All-American teams from the five recognized by the NCAA: The American Football Coaches Association, the Associated Press, the Football Writers Association of America, the Sporting News and the Walter Camp Football Foundation.
Both Stanley and Smith were selected as first-team All-Americans on four of the five lists.
Smith, who also won the Butkus Award, was named a first-team All-American by the AFCA, AP, Sporting News and Walter Camp Football Foundation. He was a second-team All-American on the FWAA list.
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Stanley earned first-team honors from the AFCA, FWAA, Sporting News and Walter Camp Football Foundation.
Defensive back Jeff Burris and offensive lineman Aaron Taylor were the last Notre Dame teammates to be named consensus All-Americans, with each player earning that designation in 1993.
Notre Dame’s last consensus All-American was linebacker Manti Te’o in 2012.
Stanley and Smith are widely-projected to be first-round draft picks if the decide to turn pro after the Fiesta Bowl. Neither player has officially declared his respective decision, though coach Brian Kelly admitted on Saturday he doesn’t expect Stanley to be back. Smith declined to address his potential NFL future last week, saying his sole focus is on beating Ohio State on New Year’s Day.