PDF Release of Full Team
WACO, Texas - University of North Alabama junior safety Chris Johnson of Birmingham, Ala., has been named to the 2017 America Football Coaches Association (AFCA) NCAA Division II All-America team.

Johnson was a first-team AFCA All-American selection, marking the 21st time that UNA has had an AFCA All-American.

Johnson ranked among the NCAA Division II national leaders in interceptions this season with six and was UNA's fourth leading tackler with 50 stops. He was previously selected first-team All-Gulf South Conference and first-team D2CCA All-Super Region 2.

A graduate of Oak Mountain High School, Johnson transferred to UNA from the University of Albany (N.Y.) prior to the 2017 season.

Johnson was a leader on a UNA defensive unit that allowed just 17.5 points per game this season and ranks fifth nationally in fewest passing yards allowed (145.3), eighth in pass efficiency defense and 10th in interceptions (18).

2017 AFCA Division II Coaches' All-America -
First Team Offense
Pos Name Ht. Wt. Cl. School Coach Hometown (High School)
QB Travis Tarnowski 5-11 218 Sr. Ashland (Ohio) Lee Owens Broadview Heights, Ohio (North Royalton)
RB Marc Jones 5-11 225 Sr. Gannon (Pa.) Brad Rzyczycki Painesville, Ohio (Riverside)
RB *Kamal Cass 5-11 185 Sr. Eastern New Mexico Kelley Lee Clovis, N.M. (Clovis)
WR Donta Armstrong 5-10 151 Sr. West Alabama Brett Gilliland Bruce, Miss. (Bruce)
WR Weston Carr 6-2 200 So. Azusa Pacific (Calif.) Victor Santa Cruz Benicia, Calif. (Benicia)
TE Seth Hebert 6-4 225 R-Jr. Central Missouri Jim Svoboda St. Louis, Mo. (Fort Zumwalt West)
OL *Jared Machorro 6-7 280 Sr. Texas A&M-Commerce Colby Carthel Coldspring, Texas (Oakhurst)
OL Joseph Lacey 6-6 328 Sr. LIU-Post (N.Y.) Bryan Collins Medford, N.Y. (Patchogue-Medford)
OL Desmond Harrison 6-7 288 Sr. West Georgia David Dean Houston, Texas (Oak Ridge)
OL Andrew Alten 6-2 308 Sr. Findlay (Ohio) Rob Keys Loveland, Ohio (Loveland)
OL Ruben Holcomb 6-4 317 R-Sr. Indianapolis (Ind.) Bob Bartolomeo Fort Wayne, Ind. (Snider)

First Team Defense
Pos Name Ht. Wt. Cl. School Coach Hometown (High School)
DL Blake Nelson 5-11 230 Sr. Colorado Mesa Russ Martin Centennial, Colo. (Arapahoe)
DL *Marcus Martin 6-2 255 R-Sr. Slippery Rock (Pa.) Shawn Lutz West Mifflin, Pa. (West Mifflin)
DL *Zach Sieler 6-6 290 Jr. Ferris St. (Mich.) Tony Annese Pinckney, Mich. (Pinckney)
DL Nathan Shepherd 6-5 300 Sr. Fort Hays St. (Kan.) Chris Brown Ajax, Ontario (J. Clarke Richardson)
LB **Kyle Kitchens 6-2 205 Sr. Catawba (N.C.) Curtis Walker Decatur, Ga. (Decatur)
LB Brandon Payer 6-4 248 Jr. Colorado St.-Pueblo John Wristen Pine, Colo. (Conifer)
LB *Osband Thompson 6-0 205 Sr. Tuskegee (Ala.) Willie Slater Miami, Fla. (Jackson)
DB Max Redfield 6-1 205 Sr. Indiana (Pa.) Paul Tortorella Mission Viejo, Calif. (Mission Viejo)
DB Chris Johnson 6-3 200 Jr. North Alabama Chris Willis Birmingham, Ala. (Oak Mountain)
DB Marcus Jones 6-0 178 Sr. Northwest Missouri St. Rich Wright Gladstone, Mo. (North Kansas City)
DB Andrew Spencer 6-1 210 Sr. Winona St. (Minn.) Tom Sawyer Lake Villa, Ill. (Lakes Community)

First Team Specialists
Pos Name Ht. Wt. Cl. School Coach Hometown (High School)
PK Casey Bednarski 6-1 230 Jr. Minnesota St. Todd Hoffner Oconomowoc, Wis. (Oconomowoc)
P Cody Mikell 6-0 215 Sr. Henderson St. (Ark.) Scott Maxfield Poplarville, Miss. (Poplarville)
AP Deonte Harris 5-6 170 Jr. Assumption (Mass.) Bob Chesney Baltimore, Md. (Archbishop Curley)

UNA's American Football Coaches Association All-Americans
1982    Don Smith            OL    First-Team
1984    Daryl Smith            DB    First-Team
1985    Bruce Jones            DB    First-Team
1990    James Davis            LB    First-Team
1992    Harvey Summerhill    DB    First-Team
1993    Tyrone Rush            RB    First-Team
1994    Ronald McKinnon        LB    First-Team
1995    Ronald McKinnon        LB    First-Team
1996    Gerald Smith            DB    First-Team
1997    Reginald Ruffin        LB    First-Team
2004    Ken Triplett            DL    First-Team
2005    Lance Ancar            C        First-Team
2006    Anthony Merritt        WR    First-Team
2007    Craig Fox            DB    First-Team
2008    Will Batson            P        First-Team
2011    Kyle Thornton        OL    First-Team
2013    Tavarius Wilson        LB    First-Team
2016    Philbert Martial        DB    First-Team
2016    Stephen Evans        OT    Second-Team
2017    Chris Johnson        S        First-Team