Nohl Williams Named Consensus All-American

California senior Nohl Williams has been named a consensus All-American defensive back, as announced by the NCAA on Thursday.
 
Williams is the first Golden Bear to earn consensus All-America status since Evan Weaver (ILB) in 2019 and is Cal's first defensive back since Daymeion Hughes in 2006. DeSean Jackson was also a consensus All-American punt returner for the Bears that season.  
 
Players earn consensus All-America status by being listed on the most First Team All-American teams competing against players at that position only. The five organizations used in the consensus chart include the American Football Coaches Association, Associated Press, Football Writers Association of America, The Sporting News and Walter Camp Football Foundation.
 
Williams All-America Honors -
AFCA: First Team (DB)
AP: Second Team (CB)
FWAA: First Team (DB)
Sporting News: First Team (CB)
WCFF: First Team (DB)
 
The Oxnard native led the country in interceptions (7), which ties for seventh on Cal's all-time single-season list and was as many as any Cal player since Hughes' eight in 2006, when he was the Lott IMPACT Trophy winner and the Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year. Williams also earned First Team All-ACC honors this season after finishing second in the conference in passes defended (15), fourth in passes broken up (8) and returning a kickoff for a touchdown during Cal's season-opening win over UC Davis. He finished the season two shy of Deltha O'Neal's single-season school record of nine interceptions in 1999 and has 14 career interceptions.
 
Williams was also a Chuck Bednarik Award Semifinalist (Nation's Outstanding Defensive Player) and Jim Thorpe Award Semifinalist (Nation's Top Defensive Back).

 
2024 Consensus All-America Team
Offense
WR—*Nick Nash, San Jose St., 6-3, 195, Sr.
WR—Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona, 6-5, 212, Jr.
WR—Xavier Restrepo, Miami (FL), 5-10, 198, Sr.
TE—Harold Fannin Jr., Bowling Green, 6-4, 230, Jr.
OL—*Kelvin Banks Jr., Texas, 6-4, 320, Jr.
OL—Wyatt Milum, West Virginia, 6-6, 317, Sr.
OL—Will Campbell, LSU, 6-6, 323, Jr.
OL—Addison West, Western Mich., 6-3, 305, Sr.
C—Seth McLaughlin, Ohio St., 6-4, 305, Sr.
QB—Cam Ward, Miami (FL), 6-2, 223, Sr.
RB—*Ashton Jeanty, Boise St., 5-9, 215, Jr.
RB—Kaleb Johnson, Iowa, 6-0, 225, Jr.
PK—Kenneth Almendares, Louisiana, 6-2, 252, Sr.
Returner/All-Purpose—*Travis Hunter, Colorado, 6-1, 185, Jr.

Defense
DL—*Mason Graham, Michigan, 6-3, 320, Jr.
DL—*Abdul Carter, Penn St., 6-3, 252, Jr.
DL—Kyle Kennard, South Carolina, 6-5, 254, Sr.
DL—Walter Nolen, Ole Miss, 6-3, 305, Jr.
DL—Donovan Ezeiruaku, Boston College, 602, 247, Sr.
LB—*Jay Higgins, Iowa, 6-2, 232, Sr.
LB—Shaun Dolac, Buffalo, 6-1, 225, Sr.
LB—Danny Stutsman, Oklahoma, 6-4, 243, Sr.
DB—*Caleb Downs, Ohio St., 6-0, 205, So.
DB—Nohl Williams, California, 6-1, 200, Sr.
DB—Xavier Watts, Notre Dame, 6-0, 203, Sr.
DB—Jahdae Barron, Texas, 5-11, 200, Sr.
P—Alex Mastromanno, Florida St., 6-1, 241, Sr.
*Indicates unanimous First Team selection