Sporting News 2017 college football preseason All-Americans
Sporting News 2017 college football preseason All-AmericansThe 2017 college football season is nearly near, which means it's time for preseason awards.
Returning Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson, Sam Darnold and Saquon Barkley are all part of the talent that will be on display this season.
MORE: SN's early college football rankings
Sporting News' 2017 Preseason All-American team reflects that talent. Penn State led the way with three first-team selections, while Alabama compiled six selections across the first and second teams. Oklahoma, Clemson and Florida State had three selections overall. USC, LSU, Notre Dame, Texas, Auburn, Michigan, Louisville and N.C. State round out the schools with multiple selections. Sporting News remains one of five outlets used to determine consensus All-Americans, so it's a good idea to stay on the list.
Who made the team? Here's a closer look at the first team:
1
QB: Sam Darnold, USCDarnold is the key to the Trojans' College Football Playoff hopes, and he could be the No. 1 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. Could he join former Trojans quarterbacks Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart as a Heisman Trophy winner along the way?
MORE: SN's Top 25 QBs
2
RB: Saquon Barkley, Penn StateBarkley rushed for 1,496 yards and 18 TDs to lead the Nittany Lions to the Big Ten championship last season, and expectations are even higher for Penn State in 2017. Barkley is the biggest reason for the hype.
MORE: Top 25 RBs
3
RB: Derrius Guice, LSUGuice will run you over, then do it again. He’s the building block for LSU's offense in Ed Orgeron’s first full season, and we got a taste of that when he rushed for 758 yards and eight TDs in the Tigers’ last four games.
MORE: Week 1 TV schedule
4
WR: James Washington, Oklahoma StateWashington is a consistent big-play threat who has scored 10 TDs each of the last two years and averages 19.2 yards per catch for his career. There won't be a morefeared receiver across the FBS in 2017.
MORE: Composite Top 25
5
WR: Christian Kirk, Texas A&MKirk averaged more than 80 receptions the last two seasons, and the Aggies should continue to find new-and-improved ways to get him loose in the open field. Expect more yards and TDs in his junior season.
6
TE: Mike Gesicki, Penn StateGesicki's decision to stay in school is huge for an offense that already features Barkley and quarterback Trace McSorley. That puts the 6-foot-6, 252-pounder at the head of this year's tight end class.
MORE: Win total over/unders
7
OL: Orlando Brown, OklahomaBrown won Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year honors as a sophomore, a testament to his talent. He's a massive 6-foot-8, 360-pound talent, too, and there's room to improve.
MORE: Composite Top 25
8
OL: Quenton Nelson, Notre DameNelson opted to stay in school to help the Irish bounce back from a 4-8 record in 2016, and he’ll be counted on in the new look with offensive coordinator Chip Long. With Nelson, that’s a good start up front.
9
OL: Billy Price, Ohio StatePrice, like Pat Elflein last season, is making the move from guard to center to help the Buckeyes make the transition with new offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson. Like Elflein, Price should earn All-American honors at the end of the season, too.
10
OL: Cody O'Connell, Washington StateO'Connell is one of four first-team SN All-Americans who returns from last year's team, and he’ll be the anchor in the interior for the Cougars again. The 6-foot-8, 354-pound guard should rake in more postseason awards as a result.
MORE: 17 questions for 2017
11
OL: Connor Williams, TexasWilliams will anchor the Longhorns’ offensive line, and that’s good news for quarterback Shane Buechele as he looks to take the next step as a sophomore.
MORE: 14 great September games
12
ATH: Richie James, MTSUJames totaled 105 receptions, 1,626 yards and 12 TDs for the Blue Raiders last season, but he added 339 yards rushing and chipped in on the return game. He's a thrilling under-the-radar playmaker.
MORE: 2017-18 bowl projections
13
DL: Arden Key, LSUKey took a leave of absence in the offseason, but he’s back in time and should emerge as the most dominant pass rusher in the SEC. He finished with 11 sacks in 2016.
14
DL: Dexter Lawrence, ClemsonLawrence could be the No. 1 pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. The 340-pound defensive tackle possesses that much talent, and he showed that with 79 tackles as a freshman on the national championship team last year.
MORE: Preseason Top 25
15
DL: Rashan Gary, MichiganThe former No. 1 recruit in the country is versatile, and defensive coordinator Don Brown will make the most out of that talent this season. This isn’t a reach to put Gary on the first team. He will emerge as an elite defensive lineman in the Big Ten this year.
16
DL: Ed Oliver, HoustonOliver is the third super sophomore defensive lineman on the first team, and he’s coming off SN first-team honors in 2016. There isn’t a more well-rounded defensive lineman in college football. Oliver ranked second in the nation with 23 tackles for loss last season.
17
LB: Cameron Smith, USCSmith does a little bit of everything for USC. He led the Trojans in tackles last season and figures to be the team leader on a defense that should improve in 2017.
MORE: Trojans in title game?
18
LB: Micah Kiser, VirginiaKiser gets to the football. He's compiled 250 total tackles the last two seasons for the Cavaliers, and another season like that would land him on the first team this time.
MORE: Hot seat coaches
19
LB: Josey Jewell, LB, IowaJewell is a hard-hitting, dependable middle linebacker who opted to return to school and lead the Hawkeyes' defense one more time. He has also totaled 250 tackles the last two seasons.
MORE: Coaches on the hot seat
20
DB: Minkah Fitzpatrick, AlabamaFitzpatrick moved to safety last season, but he can also play cornerback and is the playmaker in the Crimson Tide’s secondary. He’ll build on a sophomore season in which he had six interceptions and two pick sixes.
MORE: Top 25 QBs for 2017
21
DB: Tarvarus McFadden, Florida StateMcFadden stood out with eight interceptions for the Seminoles in 2016, and that was good enough to make him a finalist for the Nagurski Award. Expect more opportunities for big plays from this emerging cornerback.
22
DB: Marcus Allen, Penn StateAllen totaled 110 tackles and defended three passes for the Nittany Lions last season. He's the leader of a defense that needs to be better for Penn State to make the College Football Playoff.
MORE: Composite Top 25
23
DB: Derwin James, Florida StateJames brings the wow factor to the Florida State defense, and he's back in the fold after missing most of last season with a knee injury. That's a huge boost for the Seminoles and gives the unit two All-American talents in the secondary.
MORE: Realignment scenarios
24
K: Daniel Carlson, AuburnCarlson made all of his extra points and connected on 28 of 32 field goals. Given the hype around Auburn's offense this offseason, Carlson could have a record-setting season for the Tigers.
MORE: Auburn FAQ for 2017
25
P: Mitch Wishnowsky, UtahWishnowsky averaged 47.7 yards per punt as a sophomore and continues an excellent special teams tradition at Utah under coach Kyle Whittingham. It's business as usual here.
MORE: Bowl projections
26
RET: Quadree Henderson, PittsburghHenderson was a SN first-team All-American last season in which he had four returns for TDs and emerged as a home-run threat in the Panthers' offense. He also might have the coolest nickname in college football. Seriously, can you top "The Gingerbread Man?"
27
Second teamOFFENSE
QB: Lamar Jackson, Louisville
RB: Kamryn Pettway, Auburn
RB: Bo Scarbrough, Alabama
WR: Dante Pettis, Washington
WR: Calvin Ridley, Alabama
TE: Mark Andrews, Oklahoma
OL: Mitch Hyatt, Clemson
OL: Frank Ragnow, Arkansas
OL: Mason Cole, Michigan
OL: Jonah Williams, Alabama
OL: Mike McGlinchey, Notre Dame
K: Tyler Davis, Penn State
ATH: Jaylen Samuels, N.C. State
RET: Byron Pringle, Kansas StateDEFENSE
DL: Bradley Chubb, N.C. State
DL: Harold Landry, Boston College
DL: Derrick Nnadi, Florida State
DL: Christian Wilkins, Clemson
LB: Tegray Scales, Indiana
LB: Jordan Jones, Kentucky
LB: Malik Jefferson, Texas
DB: Jordan Thomas, Oklahoma
DB: Jaire Alexander, Louisville
DB: Ronnie Harrison, Alabama
DB: Quin Blanding, Virginia
P: JK Scott, Alabama