WACO, Texas – The transcendent story of Alabama A&M sophomore wide receiver Abdul-Fatai Ibrahim (Miramar, Fla.) continues as he has joined select company as the program's fourth ever American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) All-American as he has earned Second-Team honors as announced by that organization on Friday, May 14.
 
Having gone from a tryout participant and a freshman walk-on two years ago, Ibrahim has garnered a massive amount of honors in a very short time, including being a two-time All-Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) First-Team performer, the league's and football writer Phil Steele's Freshman of the Year (2019), Phil Steele All-SWAC First-Team (2019), Hero Sports FCS Freshman All-American (2019) and a Spring 2021 BOXTOROW All-American.
 
Now he can add being just the fourth Bulldog to be named an AFCA All-American and just the second in the NCAA Division I Era. He is the first in 14 years to be so honored, and not since defensive back Al Donaldson was named to the team following the 2007 season, making them the only two to be selected since the program transitioned to the DI FCS level in 1999.
 
The other two AFCA All-American selections came during A&M's time in the Division II ranks, with DB Fred Garner getting the nod in 1988 and offensive lineman and future 11-year National Football League (NFL) veteran Howard "House" Ballard being the first Bulldog to be selected, that coming in 1987.
 
Ibrahim was a threat to opposing defenses all season long, racking up 338 yards on 24 catches (14.1 ypc) and hauling in three touchdowns. On the year he averaged 84.5 yards per game for one of the most prolific offenses in the country.
 
After six grabs for 81 yards and a score in a 31-7 season-opening road victory at South Carolina State, Ibrahim only got better. He followed that up with five catches for 94 yards and a pair of scores in a 52-43 win at Jackson State (4/10) that aired live on ESPN before snagging seven balls for 102 yards against rival Alabama State (4/17) under the bright lights of the Magic City Classic.
 
He closed out the season with six receptions for 61 yards as No. 22 Alabama A&M defeated No. 25 Arkansas-Pine Bluff 40-33 in the SWAC Championship Game. That victory not only gave the Bulldogs their first SWAC Championship since 2006, and only the second in program history, it also secured the Spring 2021 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) National Championship and the first undefeated season since the 1966 team went 8-0 more than 53 years ago.
 
Ibrahim is one of three SWAC players named to the Spring 2021 AFCA All-American Team as he is joined by Southern's Jordan Lewis (DL, First-Team) and Alabama State's Irshaad Davis (DB, Second-Team).
 
A&M and Ibrahim return to action this fall beginning with the first of five home games on September 4 when they host South Carolina State at Louis Crews Stadium. Stay tuned to www.AAMUSports.com, the official online home of Bulldogs Athletics, for complete coverage of the traditional Fall 2021 season.
 
ABOUT THE AFCA ALL-AMERICAN TEAMS
The five teams now chosen for each AFCA division evolved from a single 11-player squad. From 1945 until 1967, only one team was chosen. From 1967 through 1971, two teams, University Division and College Division, were selected.
 
In 1972, the College Division was split into College I and College II. In 1979, the University Division was split into two teams – Division I-A and Division I-AA. In 1996, the College I and College II teams were renamed Division II and Division III, respectively. In 2006, the Division I-A and Division I-AA teams were renamed Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), respectively. In 2006, the AFCA started selecting an NAIA-only team.
 
From 1965-81, a 22-player (11 offensive, 11 defensive) team was chosen. In 1982, a punter and placekicker were added to the team. A return specialist was added in 1997, giving us the current 25-player team. The return specialist position was replaced by an all-purpose player in 2006. The AFCA added a second team in 2016.
 
SPRING 2021 AFCA ALL-AMERICAN FIRST-TEAM
OFFENSE
Eric Barriere, QB, Eastern Washington
Julius Chestnut, RB, Sacred Heart
Pierre Strong, Jr., RB, South Dakota St.
Avante Cox, WR, Southern Illinois
DeAngelo Wilson, WR, Austin Peay
Jakob Herres, WR, VMI
Drew Himmelman, OL, Illinois St.
Tristen Taylor, OL, Eastern Washington
J.D. DiRenzo, OL, Sacred Heart
Garret Greenfield, OL, South Dakota St.
Ty Whitworth, OL, Weber St.
 
DEFENSE
Jahari Kay, DL, Sam Houston
Isaiah Chambers, DL, McNeese State
Jordan Lewis, DL, Southern
Jared Brinkman, DL, Northern Iowa
Bryson Armstrong, LB, Kennesaw St.
Colby Campbell, LB, Presbyterian
Jared Folks, LB, East Tennessee St.
James Ceasar, DB, Southern Illinois
Kordell Jackson, DB, Austin Peay
Nicario Harper, DB, Jacksonville St.
Decobie Durant, DB, South Carolina St.
 
SPECIALIST
Daniel Whelan, P, UC Davis
Ethan Ratke, PK, James Madison
Jequez Ezzard, AP, Sam Houston
 
SPRING 2021 AFCA ALL-AMERICAN SECOND-TEAM
OFFENSE
Eric Schmid, QB, Sam Houston
Kevin Brown, RB, UIW
Juwon Farri, RB, Monmouth (N.J.)
Talolo Limu-Jones, WR, Eastern Washington
Abdul-Fatai Ibrahim, WR, Alabama A&M
Keith Pearson, WR, Presbyterian
Bucky Williams, OL, Austin Peay
Jake Dixon, OL, Duquesne
Brian Foley, OL, Holy Cross 
Kyle Nunez, OL, Stony Brook
Tylan Grable, OL, Jacksonville St.
 
DEFENSE
Spencer Waege, DL, North Dakota St.
Kobie Turner, DL, Richmond
Kevin Glajchen, DL, San Diego
Devonnsha Maxwell, DL, Chattanooga
James Kaczor, LB, North Dakota St.
Tre Walker, LB, Idaho
Jomard Valsin, LB, Northwestern St.
Zyon McCollum, DB, Sam Houston
Preston Smith, DB, Weber St.
Irshaad Davis, DL, Alabama St.
Brandon Barbee, DB, Morehead St.
 
SPECIALIST
Noah Gettman, P, Sacred Heart
Luis Aguilar, PK, Northern Arizona
Devron Harper, AP, Gardner-Webb
 
ALABAMA A&M ALL-TIME AFCA ALL-AMERICAN SELECTIONS
Spring 2021 (1 – 0/1)
Abdul-Fatai Ibrahim, WR, Second-Team
 
2007 (1)
Al Donaldson, DB
 
1988 (1)
Fred Garner, DB
 
1987 (1)
Howard Ballard, OL