Will Sutton

Classroom

It is clear Sutton’s place at ASU is more important than just on the field. As ASU’s Vice President for University Athletics Steve Patterson said, “I’m excited for Will to come back next season and continue what he helped build this past year. But just as important, I’m happy for Will to finish what he started in the classroom and earn his degree from Arizona State University.” Sutton turned down a chance at the National Football League in order to return to ASU for his senior season and earn his degree. He works tirelessly to not only pass, but to excel in all of his studies and has made a concerted effort to improve each and every semester since he arrived as a freshman in 2009. He also takes it upon himself to make sure his teammates stay committed to school and serves as a mentor to many of the younger linemen.

Character

Sutton is not only a great individual player, but he is a great teammate as well. Fellow defensive star Carl Bradford said this past summer, “I’m really honored to be playing next to him this season. I love his energy and I try to feed off of it and be just like him so I am excited to have him back.” Sutton is almost always one of the last players to leave the practice field, whether he is getting extra work in with the coaches or doing his own coaching of the newcomers and reserves.

Community

Sutton is one of the most well-liked and respected student-athletes in recent Arizona State history, and he works tirelessly to be a great ambassador for all of the university. Whether it is taking time to meet with members of the Sun Devil Marching Band, take photos with young fans or speak to the freshmen students at ASU’s annual Fall Welcome, Sutton is asked to do a lot and always delivers. He has done numerous interviews since his All-America season in 2012, everything from being inside TV studios to radio shows to sitting down with our local reporters, and he has done it all while keeping his teammates and school first and foremost.

Competition

Sutton became the first Sun Devil since Terrell Suggs in 2002 to earn consensus First Team All-America honors after being recognized by the American Football Coaches Association, The Sporting News and the Associated Press, as well as the Walter Camp Football Foundation (second team). ?His 23.5 tackles for loss and 13 sacks in 2012 both rank fourth on the school’s single-season list, and he led the Pac-12 with 1.08 sacks and 1.96 TFLs per game. Sutton also added 63 tackles, three forced fumbles and five pass breakups, despite missing one game and the majority of another due to injury.? ?A force that can line up in multiple spots on the defensive line, he anchored a defensive line that finished second in the Pac-12 and first in the FBS in TFLs (9.0), and second in the conference and FBS in sacks (4.0). Individually, he finished the season second in the FBS in sacks per game and third in TFLs.? ?Sutton, who recorded a tackle for loss in all 12 games he played in and collected multiple TFLs in seven of those contests, used constant pressure to guide a Sun Devil defense that led the Pac-12 in both pass defense and pass efficiency defense, as well as rank second in the conference in total defense.? ?Sutton was named the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl Defensive MVP after registering 3.5 tackles for loss, including 2.5 sacks, in the Devils’ record-breaking 62-28 win over Navy.