By Stefanie Loh

The Seattle Times

Washington State defensive tackle Hercules Mata’afa was named a first team All-American by the Associated Press Monday.

Mata’afa, a junior from Lahaina, Hawaii, led the Pac-12 with 21.5 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks this season. He was named the Associated Press’ Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year last week, and was the only player to be named to two different spots on the AP All-Pac-12 team.

Mata’afa was also named a Walter Camp Football Foundation First Team All-American last week. The addition of AP first team All-American honors means Mata’afa is now one first team All-American nomination away from becoming WSU’s first defensive consensus All-American since Rien Long in 2002.

To be considered a consensus All-American, a player has to be selected as a first team All-American by three of the the following five organizations: The Walter Camp Football Foundation, the Associated Press, the Football Writers’ Association of America, the American Football Coaches Association, and The Sporting News.

Also on Monday, the FWAA named Mata’afa a second-team All-American, with first team honors on the defensive line going to North Carolina State’s Bradley Chubb, Clemson’s Austin Bryant, Houston’s Ed Oliver and Northern Illinois’ Sutton Smith. The AFCA and The Sporting News have yet to release their All-American teams.

WSU offensive guard Cody O’Connell was a unanimous All-American as a junior last season when he was named a first-team All-American by all five of those outlets.

O’Connell, a senior from Wenatchee, was named a second-team All-American by the AP on Monday. He was named a first-team All-American by the Walter Camp Football Foundation last week.