Junior linebacker Jaylon Smith and senior offensive lineman Ronnie Stanley were named consensus All-Americans for 2015. They became the first set of Irish teammates to receive the honor since Jeff Burris and Aaron Taylor did so in 1993.
The duo become Notre Dame’s 82nd and 83rd consensus All-Americans. Those 83 players have been awarded consensus All-American kudos 99 separate times, with both numbers being the highest total of any school in the FBS.
Smith also won the Butkus Award, given to the nation’s best linebacker. He was very nearly a unanimous All-American, missing out on first-team kudos from ESPN and FWAA.