Texas Tech University Athletics
Ponton garners FWAA Freshman All-America honors
January 14, 2026 | Football
Jacob Ponton became the sixth Red Raider to earn Freshman All-America accolades by the FWAA on Wednesday
LUBBOCK, Texas – Texas Tech redshirt freshman offensive lineman Jacob Ponton was recognized Wednesday on the Freshman All-America team compiled by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA).
The FWAA named six offensive linemen from across the country to its FWAA Freshman All-America team as Ponton was joined by Alabama's Michael Carroll, Georgia's Dontrell Glover, Washington's John Mills, Minnesota's Nathan Roy and Tennessee's David Sanders Jr. He was the lone Big 12 player selected to the team on either side of the ball or on special teams.
Ponton becomes the first Red Raider to be named to the FWAA Freshman All-America team since punter Austin McNamara in 2019 and the first Red Raider freshman to be honored by any organization since current linebacker Ben Roberts in 2023. In addition, Ponton is now the sixth Red Raider to receive Freshman All-America accolades by the FWAA since the organization started presenting the award in 2011, joining the likes of defensive tackle Colby Whitlock (2007), wide receiver Michael Crabtree (2007), offensive lineman Le'Raven Clark (2012), defensive back Adrian Frye (2018) and McNamara (2019).
Ponton was a staple up front for one of the nation's top scoring offenses, starting all 14 games at right tackle. The Red Raiders boasted one of the nation's most-balanced offenses, throwing for at least 3,500 passing yards while also recording at least 2,500 rushing yards on the ground for the first time in school history. Texas Tech was the lone Big 12 program to hit both marks this season and one of seven nationally to do so, joining fellow College Football Playoff participants in Indiana, Ole Miss and Oregon as well as Group of Five teams in North Texas, UNLV and South Florida.
Ponton rarely left the field for the Red Raiders, who currently rank seventh nationally in scoring at 39.4 points a game, 15th with 278.5 passing yards a game and 33rd with 182.9 rushing yards per contest. He was credited with 942 offensive snaps by Pro Football Focus, receiving a 69.3 overall grade by the publication after surrendering only six sacks over 497 pass-blocking opportunities. His overall grade was the second highest among freshman tackles with at least 500 snaps and the highest among those in a power conference.
As a team, Texas Tech was the third-highest rated offense in the country by PFF, receiving an end-of-year grade of 94.8 following its College Football Playoff debut at the Capital One Orange Bowl. The Red Raiders, collectively, ranked 22nd as a team in pass blocking with a 79.3 grade, which was third overall in the Big 12.
Texas Tech will return both of its starting offensive tackles from this past season in not only Ponton but Howard Sampson on the left side. The Red Raiders started the same offensive line in all 14 games of their historic season, a group that features another returner in center Sheridan Wilson. Texas Tech will have to replace both guard spots following the graduation of seniors Davion Carter and Will Jados.
The FWAA Freshman All-America Team, named since 2001, is an annual postseason list of the top players competing in their first seasons with their programs as true freshmen or redshirt freshmen. The FWAA will name its Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Freshman Players of the Year tomorrow along with the winner of its Steve Spurrier First-Year Coach of the Year Award to a head coach in his first season with his new program.
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