Pitt defensive end Jabaal Sheard will likely win the Big East defensive player of the year award. And now he's an All-American.

Sheard was the only Big East player named to the American Football Coaches Association 25-man All-America team on Monday.

The 6-foot-4, 260-pound senior picked up the slack once Greg Romeus was injured and excelled despite constant double teams. He has 45 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, nine sacks, four forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. Sheard leads the Big East in forced fumbles, ranks second in tackles for loss and is third in sacks.

Pitt's coaches have calculated that Sheard has faced double teams on 70 percent of all passing downs this year.

"We are all incredibly proud that Jabaal has received this prestigious honor,” coach Dave Wannstedt said in a statement. “From the first snap of training camp to his final game, he has been just exceptional. Jabaal is very deserving of joining the All-America tradition we have at Pitt.”

The AFCA All-America team is selected by college head coaches.