BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA—Christian Kirk and Armani Watts, both Texas A&M team captains and roommates, were named to the first-team All-SEC squad as selected by the SEC head coaches.
Kirk, a junior from Saguaro High School in Scottsdale, Arizona, was named All-SEC first-team all-purpose as well as first-team return specialist. Kirk was also tabbed as a second-team All-SEC wide receiver.
Kirk is the active FBS career leader in punt return average with 22.8 yards per return. He is the only SEC player to have both a punt return for a touchdown and a kickoff return for a touchdown in 2017. Kirk holds the Texas A&M school record for career punt returns for a touchdown (six) as well as the most punt returns for touchdowns in a single season (three in 2016). As a wide receiver, Kirk has had at least two receptions in every game he has played for Texas A&M (38 straight entering the 2017 Belk Bowl).
Watts, a senior from Forney North High School who grew up in Oakland, California, was named All-SEC first-team defensive back.
The defensive playmaker is the only player in the FBS with at least 9.5 tackles for loss, four interceptions, two blocked kicks, one forced fumble and one recovered fumble. Watt's also the only active FBS player with at least 300 tackles, 10 pickoffs and five forced fumbles. From his first game as a true freshman when he started against South Carolina in 2014 picking off a pass and breaking up a couple of others, Watts has made an impact.
