Freeland named Associated Press All-American

NEW YORK — BYU left tackle Blake Freeland has been named to The Associated Press All-America Third Team. 

The honor is Freeland’s second All-America award having previously been honored by Pro Football Focus. He is the third BYU offensive lineman in the past three seasons to be named All-American, joining Clark Barrington in 2021 and Consensus All-American Brady Christensen in 2020.

The 6-8, 305-pound junior from Herriman, started every game for the Cougars in 2022. He has played a key role in an offense that rolled-up 5,286 yards of total offense—3,199 passing and 2,087 rushing. 

Freeland was named a preseason All-American by The Athletic and listed as one of the Top 100 College Football Players by Pro Football News. In addition, he was a 2022 candidate for the Outland Trophy and the Rotary Lombardi Award.

Including a Covid season in 2020, Freeland has been a four-year starter on the offensive line for the Cougars from 2019-22, including 25-straight starts at left tackle the past two years. Following the 2021 season, he was named All-Independent First Team by both Phil Steele and Pro Football Network.

He is the son of Jim and Debbie Freeland. His father Jim played linebacker for the Cougars from 1994-95 and his mother Debbie Dimond was an honorable mention All-American women's basketball player from 1991-95. She is still the eighth-highest scorer in BYU women's basketball history.