Kenny Clark leads UCLA with All-Pac-12 first team selection

UCLA nose tackle Kenny Clark (97) was the Bruins' lone representative on the All-Pac-12 first team. He also caught at touchdown pass in UCLA's season-opening 34-16 win against Virginia. (Keith Birmingham/Staff)

UCLA nose tackle Kenny Clark (97) was the Bruins’ lone representative on the All-Pac-12 first team. He also caught at touchdown pass in UCLA’s season-opening 34-16 win against Virginia. (Keith Birmingham/Staff)

Through most of the season, nose tackle Kenny Clark looked like UCLA’s best player. Pac-12 coaches agreed.

When the All-Pac-12 teams were announced Tuesday, Clark was the Bruins’ sole first-team representative on offense, defense, or special teams. The 6-foot-3, 310-pound junior was second on the team with seven tackles for loss, showed off his development as a pass rusher by notching his first five career sacks.

UCLA placed several more players on the second team. On offense, running back Paul Perkins, center Jake Brendel and left tackle Conor McDermott all earned spots. Linebacker Deon Hollins and defensive backs Randall Goforth and Jaleel Wadood filled in for the defense.

Receiver Jordan Payton, linebacker Aaron Wallace, and cornerback Marcus Rios were honorable mentions.

Perhaps the most eyebrow-raising part of the all-conference selections was Ka’imi Fairbairn settling for being a second-team specialist. The kicker became the Pac-12’s all-time leading scorer this season, hit a school-record 60-yard field goal, and is one of three finalists for the Lou Groza Award. Throw in his respectable 20 of 23 conversion rate on field goals, and he seemed like a shoe-in on the first team.

Instead, Pac-12 coaches voted for Aidan Schneider. The Oregon sophomore was slightly more accurate at 20 of 22, but hadn’t attempted a field goal longer than 41 yards. Fairbairn’s three misses have come from 47, 49 and 50 yards.

See the full All-Pac-12 teams below:

First Team Offense
QB Luke Falk, So., Washington State
AND Jared Goff, Jr., California
RB Royce Freeman, So., Oregon
RB Christian McCaffrey, So., Stanford
WR Kenny Lawler, Jr., California
WR Gabe Marks, Jr., Washington State
WR JuJu Smith-Schuster, So., USC
TE Austin Hooper, Jr., Stanford
OL Zach Banner, Jr., USC
OL Joe Dahl, Sr., Washington State
OL Joshua Garnett, Sr., Stanford
OL Tyler Johnstone, Sr, Oregon
OL Kyle Murphy, Sr., Stanford

First Team Defense
DL DeForest Buckner, Sr., Oregon
DL Kenny Clark, Jr., UCLA
DL Lowell Lotulelei, So., Utah
DL Aziz Shittu, Sr., Stanford
DL Antwaun Woods, Sr., USC
LB Su’a Cravens, Jr., USC (2)
LB Blake Martinez, Sr., Stanford
LB Gionni Paul, Sr., Utah
DB Budda Baker, So., Washington
DB Adoree’ Jackson, So., USC
DB Sidney Jones, So., Washington
DB Marcus Williams, So., Utah

First Team Specialists
PK Aidan Schneider, So., Oregon
P Tom Hackett, Sr., Utah (3)
RS Christian McCaffrey, So., Stanford
AP/ST Charles Nelson, So., Oregon

Second Team Offense
QB Kevin Hogan, Sr., Stanford
RB Devontae Booker, Sr., Utah
RB Paul Perkins, Jr., UCLA
WR Bralon Addison, Jr.. Oregon
WR Darren Carrington, So., Oregon
WR Nelson Spruce, Sr., Colorado
TE Thomas Duarte, Jr., UCLA
OL Jake Brendel, Sr., UCLA
OL J.J. Dielman, Jr., Utah
OL Conor McDermott, Jr., UCLA
OL Christian Westerman, Sr., Arizona State
OL Chad Wheeler, Jr., USC

Second Team Defense
DL Darryl Paulo, Sr., Washington State
DL Delvon Simmons, Sr., USC
DL Taniela Tupou, Sr., Washington
DL Destiny Vaeao, Sr., Washington State
LB Travis Feeney, Sr., Washington
LB Deon Hollins, Jr., UCLA
LB Jared Norris, Sr., Utah
DB Chidobe Awuzie, Jr., Colorado
DB Randall Goforth, Jr., UCLA
DB Ronnie Harris, Sr., Stanford
DB Jaleel Wadood, So., UCLA

Second Team Specialists
PK Ka’imi Fairbairn, Sr., UCLA
P Drew Riggleman, Sr., Arizona
RS Adoree’ Jackson, So., USC
AP/ST Soma Vainuku, Sr., USC