Illinois State linebacker Boomer Grigsby and defensive lineman Jonathan Friend were both tabbed I-AA Football all-Americans by the Associated Press, announced Wednesday.
Grigsby, who was named Performer of the Year by Dopke.com earlier today, was a second-team selection while Friend was a third-team honoree.
The honors for Grigsby keep rolling in for the sophomore who was named the 2002 Gateway Defensive Player of the Year. Still on the Buchanan Award list, the award given to the top defensive player in I-AA football, Grigsby compiled a league-high 179 tackles on the year and finished with 108 solo stops, 16 tackles for loss and four sacks.
Friend, a native of Orange, Texas and first team All-Gateway selection, finished the year with a team-best 25 tackles for a loss of 119 yards. The senior also recorded 7.5 sacks and 88 tackles, 58 of which were solo stops. Both Friend and Grigsby anchored a Redbird defense that finished with 1161 tackles on the season, 90 TFLs and 27 sacks.
