WACO, Texas – On Wednesday morning, the American Football Coaches' Association (AFCA) announced its all-american teams.
 
After a third winning season in four years, the Hardrockers continue with positives.
One of the team's bright spots has been tight end Henry Dryden.
 
Dryden followed up his D2CCA All-Region and first team all-conference selections, by being named to the AFCA All-American Second Team.
 
The selection to the AFCA team is a first in program history.
 
Dryden has been a top tight end in the RMAC and the Super Region 4 for two years. After earning all-region and all-conference honors for two straight years, Dryden earned his first national honors, posting 35 catches for 297 yards and six touchdowns in 10 games.
 
The All-American Teams can be found here or at the link at the top of the article.
 
The five teams now chosen for each AFCA division evolved from a single 11-player squad in 1945. 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 — FBS and FCS. In 1996, the College I and College II teams were renamed Division II and Division III, respectively. In 2006, the AFCA started selecting an NAIA-only team. In 2016, the AFCA added a second team All-America.
From 1965-81, a 22-player (11 offensive, 11 defensive) team was chosen. In 1982, a punter and placekicker were added to the team. In 1997, a return specialist was added. The return specialist position was replaced by an all-purpose player in 2006. A third wide receiver was added in 2024.
 
About The AFCA
The American Football Coaches Association was founded to ensure that every football coach receives the finest professional development support and resources available. We bring relevant topics and current advancements directly to your desktop. We are committed to football coaching education and helping you reach and exceed your goals for success with our Professional Development Series. Along with industry networking, membership provides a forum for to find Professional Football Coaching Jobs nationwide.
 
You can find the latest on South Dakota Mines football all year long on X and Instagram (@hardrockerfb), while also following on Facebook at Hardrocker Football. The latest on South Dakota Mines athletics can be found by following us on X at @GoHardrockers, hardrockerathletics on Instagram and Hardrocker Athletics on Facebook.
 
About South Dakota Mines
The South Dakota School of Mines & Technology is a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) and NCAA Division II offering 13 men's and women's varsity intercollegiate athletic programs. The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference is a premier NCAA Division II conference with 15 members, as well as four associate members, located in the states of California, Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Utah.