Arizona Wildcats senior wide receiver Jacob Cowing was named an Associated Press Second Team All-American on Monday.
Cowing joined Xavier Worthy (Texas) and Malik Nabers (LSU) on the Second Team. Marvin Harrison Jr. (Ohio State), Rome Odunze (Washington) and Emeka Egbuka (Ohio State) were First Team picks. Former Arizona wide receiver Dorian Singer, who transferred to USC and is a preseason All-Pac-12 First Team honoree, did not make either AP preseason All-America team.
Cowing is also a preseason All-Pac-12 Second Team selection, along with left tackle Jordan Morgan, and was mentioned on the Biletnikoff Award, Paul Hornung Award and Maxwell Award preseason watch lists.
The 5-11, 175-pound Maricopa native enters the season after leading the Pac-12 in receptions (85) in 2022, which also ranks third in a season by a Wildcat behind Bobby Wade and Dennis Northcutt. Cowing was a staple in Arizona’s offense that had the sixth-best passing attack in college football last season.
Cowing also had four games with over 100 yards receiving during his junior campaign, including his eight-catch, 152-yard, three-touchdown UA debut in the Wildcats’ season-opening win at San Diego State.
In space, Cowing was an effective slot receiver in his first season with the Wildcats, averaging 7.5 yards after catches (YAC), according to Pro Football Focus; PFF gave Cowing an 80 overall grade as a pass-catcher for last season.
Cowing conceivably could’ve declared for the NFL Draft, but “what brought me back was the team, Coach (Jedd) Fisch, certain personal things, too.”
Arizona wide receiver Jacob Cowing (2) runs out of the hands of Washington State linebacker Francisco Mauigoa (51) in the fourth quarter of their Pac-12 matchup at Arizona Stadium on Nov. 19, 2022.
“I wanted to also finish my degree here,” Cowing added. “And just the team atmosphere and what we’re building here. I wanted to leave Arizona with a bang and with a good foundation for this program leaning in the right direction, and we’re definitely heading in the right direction. I just want to see Arizona succeed at the end of the day. I want to be a part of that success. ... I want to be a part of something special and that’s ultimately why I came back. ... From Day 1 of coming here to now, I’ve grown my IQ as a player. I’ve also changed as a man, too, as a person. I just appreciate the coaches for how they’ve changed me as an athlete and as a man at the end of the day.”
Between his career at Arizona and UTEP, Cowing has amassed 3,629 yards and 21 touchdowns and is coming off two consecutive seasons with over 1,000 yards.
In Arizona’s preseason training camp, which concluded on Sunday, Cowing was among the Wildcats’ top offensive playmakers. Cowing caught two passes for at least 30 yards in the Wildcats’ scrimmage on Saturday night, including a turnaround diving catch for a 30-yard touchdown from quarterback Jayden de Laura. Cowing will have a prominent role for the UA’s special teams unit as a punt returner and “gunner” on punt coverage.
“We didn’t want them to look at him as just a slot receiver,” Fisch said of Cowing. “I think it’s a responsibility of a head coach in college football to help your player get to the NFL if they’re capable.”
Arizona wide receivers coach Kevin Cummings said, “sky’s the limit for (Cowing)” in his final season as a Wildcat.
“I think the way Jacob has taken care of his body, the way he’s taken care of the mental part of the game, he understands now that he can go out there and put up huge numbers again and have an opportunity to see him as an early draft pick,” Cummings said. “He’s one of the top receivers in the country as far as career receiving yards, back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons, so he knows that all he has to do is keep working. There’s no pressure, there’s no concerns about what’s going on.
“He knows who he is to this team and the opportunities we’re going to give him. He just has to go out there and keep elevating his game every single day.”
Here’s a full look at the AP All-American Teams:
FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
Quarterback: Caleb Williams, USC
Running backs: Blake Corum, Michigan; Quinshon Judkins, Mississippi
Tackles: Joe Alt, Notre Dame; Olu Fashanu, Penn State
Guards: Cooper Beebe, Kansas State; Zak Zinter, Michigan
Center: Sedrick Van Pran, Georgia
Tight end: Brock Bowers, Georgia
Wide receivers: Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State; Rome Odunze, Washington; Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State
All-purpose player: Travis Hunter, Colorado
Kicker: Joshua Karty, Stanford
FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
Edge rushers: Jared Verse, Florida State; Bralen Trice, Washington
Interior linemen: Jer’Zhan Newton, Illinois; Dontay Corleone, Cincinnati
Linebackers: Harold Perkins, LSU; Jamon Dumas-Johnson, Georgia; Tommy Eichenberg, Ohio State
Cornerbacks: Kool-aid McKinstry, Alabama; Kalen King, Penn State
Safeties: Kam Kinchens, Miami; Malaki Starks, Georgia
Defensive back: Cooper DeJean, Iowa
Punter: Tory Taylor, Iowa
SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
Quarterback: Drake Maye, North Carolina.
Running backs: Raheim Sanders, Arkansas; Braelon Allen, Wisconsin
Tackles: JC Latham, Alabama; Kelvin Banks Jr., Texas
Guards: Donovan Jackson, Ohio State; Christian Mahogany, Boston College
Center: Zach Frazier, West Virginia
Tight end: Oronde Gadsden, Syracuse
Wide receivers: Xavier Worthy, Texas; Malik Nabers, LSU; Jacob Cowing, Arizona
All-purpose player: Will Shipley, Clemson
Kicker: John Hoyland, Wyoming
SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
Edge rushers: J.T. Tuimoloau, Ohio State; Dallas Turner, Alabama
Interior linemen: Tyler Davis, Clemson; Mekhi Wingo, LSU
Linebackers: Jeremiah Trotter Jr., Clemson; Barrett Carter, Clemson; Cedric Gray, North Carolina
Cornerbacks: Josh Newton, TCU; Ben Morrison, Notre Dame
Safeties: Calen Bullock, third-year, USC; Javon Bullard, Georgia
Defensive back: Will Johnson, Michigan
Punter: Kai Kroeger, South Carolina
