CLEVELAND — Headlined by honorable mention All-America selection Zakhari Franklin, 16 UTSA football student-athletes received Phil Steele postseason honors.
Franklin, a senior wide receiver from Cedar Hill High School, collected the first All-America nod of his career to become the seventh Roadrunner to achieve that status, joining Spencer Burford (2021), Lucas Dean (2020), Hunter Duplessis (2020), Clarence Hicks (2021), Sincere McCormick (2020-21) and David Morgan II (2015).
Franklin also was one of 16 Roadrunners named to the Phil Steele All-Conference USA Teams.
The UTSA record holder in every major receiving category, Franklin improved his own school standards in 2022 with 94 receptions for 1,136 yards and 15 touchdowns, an average of 81.1 receiving yards per game. He logged four 100-yard games including a season-high 144 yards and school record-tying three TDs on 10 catches in the 48-27 win over North Texas in the C-USA Championship Game.
Franklin also had 126 yards and a score on seven receptions in the victory over UTEP, and back-to-back 100-yard outputs to start the campaign with 100 versus Houston and 122 and a pair of touchdowns at Army. He has caught a pass in all 46 career contests — the longest active FBS streak — and now has program records of 262 catches, 3,348 receiving yards and 37 receiving TDs as a Roadrunner.
Franklin was one of five Roadrunners tabbed first-team All-Conference USA by Phil Steele, as quarterback Frank Harris, running back Kevorian Barnes, center Ahofitu Maka and safety Clifford Chattman also landed on that team.
Eight players were chosen to the second squad, including wide receiver Joshua Cephus, tight end Oscar Cardenas, offensive lineman Kevin Davis, linebackers Jamal Ligon and Trey Moore, cornerback Corey Mayfield Jr., punter Lucas Dean and long snapper Caleb Cantrell.
Defensive lineman Brandon Brown, linebacker Trevor Harmanson and kicker Jared Sackett earned spots on the third team.
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