Football’s Rayshawn Pleasant Named a 2024 Phil Steele Third Team All-American
Dec 31, 2024 | Football
NEW ORLEANS  – Tulane football's Rayshawn Pleasant was named a 2024 Phil Steele Third Team All-American as a kick returner, the organization recently announced. Â
Pleasant was one of five Tulane players to earn recognition by Phil Steele this season on an All-American list along with running back Makhi Hughes, defensive tackle Patrick Jenkins, offensive tackle Derrick Graham and long snapper Ethan Hudak
This season, Pleasant led the conference and the nation with his two kick return touchdowns. He also averaging 34.5 yards a return with 449 yards in 13 returns with a long of 100 yards. He also totaled 35 tackles, a tackle for loss and a 100-yard interception return for a touchdown as a defensive back. He was previously a 2024 First Team All-American by the Sporting News.
Hughes ranked second conference in rushing this season with 1401 yards on the ground. The total also placed him 10thh nationally. His rushing yards were the fourth-most in a single season ever at Tulane. He also ran for 15 scores to place third all-time at Tulane in a single campaign. His 17 total touchdowns ranked him fourth all-time at Tulane and third overall in the conference this season.
Jenkins, this season, totaled 33 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks with a pair of pass breakups. Â
Graham helped the offense rank among the top five in the league in seven categories including third down conversions (1st – 50.3), completion percentage (3rd – 62.9), scoring offense (2nd – 35.1), interceptions thrown (4th – 9), passing efficiency (1st – 157.6), rushing (3rd – 195.6), time of possession (3rd – 32:13), first downs (3rd – 291) and passing yards per completions (4th – 14.16).The offense has scored 20+ points in 11 of the team's 14 games.
Hudak was a key member of the Tulane's special teams units that ranked fourth in the AAC in net punting at 39.81 and went 13-for-18 in field goals and 58-for-62 despite using three different kickers on the season.
The Tulane football team (9-5) ended the season playing in the program's third consecutive bowl game. It was also the sixth time in the last seven years that Tulane had been selected to play in a bowl game (2018 – Cure Bowl, 2019 – Armed Forces Bowl, 2020 – Famous Idaho Bowl, 2022 – Cotton Bowl, 2023 – Military Bowl and 2024 – Gasparilla Bowl). Overall, it was Tulane's 17th bowl appearance (1932 – Rose Bowl, 1935 – Sugar Bowl, 1939 – Sugar Bowl, 1970 – Liberty Bowl, 1973 – Astro Bluebonnet Bowl, 1979 – Liberty Bowl, 1980 – Hall of Fame Bowl, 1987 – Independence Bowl, 1998 – Liberty Bowl, 2002 – Hawaii Bowl, 2013 – New Orleans, 2018 – Cure Bowl, 2019 – Armed Forces Bowl, 2020 -Famous Idaho Bowl, 2022 – Cotton Bowl, 2023 – Military Bowl and 2024 – Gasparilla Bowl) with the program sporting an all-time record of 7-10 in bowl games.
Tulane also made the team's third straight AAC Championship Game appearance. The program sports a 32-10 record over the last three seasons. The team's 32 wins is the fourth-most nationally. The team placed first or second in the AAC in 10 different categories including leading the league in third down conversions (52.5), defensive touchdowns (6), completion percentage (65.6), scoring offense (37.2) and passing efficiency defense (111.65). The team was the national leader in defensive touchdowns with six.
The team had a league-high 18 players selected All-AAC this season including Derrick Graham (First Team – offensive tackle), Shadre Hurst (First Team – offensive guard), Makhi Hughes (First Team – running back), Patrick Jenkins (First Team – defensive line), Mario Williams (Second Team – wide receiver), Josh Remetich (Second Team – offensive guard), Vincent Murphy (Second Team – center), Tyler Grubbs (Second Team – linebacker), Sam Howard (Second Team – linebacker), Bailey Despanie (Second Team – defensive back), Micah Robinson (Second Team – cornerback), Rayshawn Pleasant (Second Team – return specialist), Rashad Green (Third Team – offensive tackle), Alex Bauman (Third Team – tight end), Kameron Hamilton (Third Team – defensive line), Adin Huntington (Third Team – defensive line), Caleb Ransaw (Third Team – cornerback) and Yulkeith Brown (Honorable Mention – wide receiver).
The Green Wave's football team was chosen for third in the AAC Preseason Media Poll with 362 points plus two first-place votes at the annual conference media day.
The school announced the hiring of Jon Sumrall as the 42nd head coach of the team on December 8, 2023. The Huntsville, Alabama native has been one of the most successful head coaches in the country the last three seasons with a record of 32-9, two Sun Belt Conference championships and a pair of double-digit winning streaks. He was named Sun Belt Conference Coach of Year and was twice named a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year honor. Sumrall returned to Tulane after serving as the Green Wave's Co-Defensive Coordinator for three years (2012-14). In 2013, he was a crucial part of Tulane's run to the New Orleans Bowl, the program's first postseason appearance since 2002 and third since 1988. Sumrall also was named a finalist for FootballScoop Defensive Line Coach of the Year.
2024 Phil Steele Tulane All-Americans
Rayshawn Pleasant - Third Team (returner)
Makhi Hughes - Honorable Mention (running back)
Patrick Jenkins - Honorable Mention (defensive line)
Derrick Graham - Honorable Mention (offensive line)
Ethan Hudak - Honorable Mention (long snapper)
Tickets for the men's and women's basketball teams and the upcoming 2025 baseball season can be purchased by calling 504-861-WAVE (9283), logging on to TulaneTix.com or visiting the ticket office at the James W. Wilson Jr. Center.
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