Oregon defensive end DeForest Buckner earned the first of possibly several All-America honors Tuesday when USA Today included him on its first team for the 2015 college football season.

Buckner, a 6-foot-7, 290-pound senior and Pac-12 Conference defensive player of the year, recorded a team-leading 16 tackles for loss, six quarterback hits and 9.5 sacks this season, along with 76 total tackles, which ranked second-most for UO.

Buckner joined Ohio State's Joey Bosa, Notre Dame's Sheldon Day and Clemson's Shaq Lawson along the first-team defensive line.

USA Today's honorees are not counted toward the NCAA's official distinction of either consensus or unanimous All-American status. The NCAA recognizes five All-America teams: The Associated Press, Walter Camp Football Foundation, Sporting News, Football Writers Association of America and American Football Coaches Association.

Quarterback Marcus Mariota and running back LaMike James are Oregon's only unanimous All-Americans in program history, while six -- including corner Ifo Ekpre-Olomu last season -- have earned consensus honors by being named to at least three of the five recognized teams.

-- Andrew Greif

agreif@oregonian.com