THREE BUCS NAMED FOOTBALL ALL-AMERICANS

Ballard earns first-team honors, Hopkins and Patterson Jr. earn spot on second team

Blinn College football had one defensive player and two offensive weapons earn a spot on the NJCAA All-America team for the 2016 season.

Safety Corrion Ballard (Houston) was named to the first team while running back D’Anthony Hopkins (Cuero) and wide receiver Earnest Patterson Jr. (Brenham) were named to the second team.

“These are kids that got it done in the classroom and are a testament to what junior college can do for an athlete,” said Ryan Mahon, Blinn head coach.

As a quarterback for the defense at the safety position, Ballard was fourth on the team with 41 tackles while adding five sacks and three interceptions. Ballard recently signed with the University of Utah during the mid-year signing period.

“I feel like the knowledge of the Blinn coaching staff helped me to get better as a player,” Ballard said.

Hopkins was second in the NJCAA with a 123.8 yards per game and tied for first with 18 touchdowns on the ground. Hopkins rushed for 1,114 yards on 130 carries.

“D’Anthony is a big back and nobody wanted to tackle him,” Mahon said.

Patterson finished fourth in the NJCAA with 100.7 receiving yards per game and led the Buccaneers with 906 yards coming from 68 receptions while scoring six touchdowns.

“We wouldn’t have gotten anything done on offense without Earnest,” Mahon said.

Blinn finished 2016 with a 5-4 record under first-year coach Mahon.

Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 34 NJCAA national championships since 1987. For more information, visit www.buccaneersports.com.