ASU's Burfict named First-Team All-American

Arizona State University sophomore middle linebacker Vontaze Burfict has been named as a First-Team Preseason All-American by Sporting News for 2010.

Earlier, Burfict was named to the watch lists of the 2010 Rotary Lombardi Award and the Bronko Nagurski Award.

Burfict (Corona, Calif./Centennial High School) is an athletic and powerful linebacker who has displayed dominance on the field since the first game of his career in 2009. He had one of the most productive freshman seasons in school history in which he was named Pacific-10 Conference Defensive Freshman of the Year. Selected to the Freshman All-American Team by CollegeFootballNews.com and to the Football Writers Association of America Freshman All-America Team, Burfict also was named a Freshman All-American by Scout.com and earned a spot on The Sporting News All-Pac-10 Freshman Team.

Burfict, who earned the starting middle linebacker spot in the fourth game of the season, finished his freshman season second on the team in total tackles with 69 (40 solo). He added seven tackles for loss, two sacks and two forced fumbles. He led the team with two fumble recoveries and was tops among all linebackers with five pass breakups. Burfict appeared in all 12 games of the season and started the final nine. He led the team in tackles in five games and collected a season-high 11 tackles (three solo) and one and half tackles for loss at Georgia on Sept. 26.