With just one more day to go before what should be an epic showdown between Alabama and Clemson in the National Championship game, it is the perfect time to unveil the @sportsguychris 2018 College Football All-American Team. I have searched the country high and low, looking for the best that the 2018 NCAA football season had to offer and came up with the most comprehensive list of All-Americans out there. I have comprised a 1st Team, 2nd Team, 3rd Team, and Honorable Selections for both offense and defense. You will find a plethora of 'Power 5' schools represented, with schools like Alabama and Clemson placing several players throughout the four teams. But you wont just find the bigtime name-brand programs, as the 'Group of 5' schools placed plenty of players throughout the list as well. From Conference Defensive Player of the Year winners, to pre-season All-Americas, to shoe-in 1st round NFL draft picks, to some of the best players in the country that you've never heard of due to a lack of exposure, this list has everything covered! Without further ado, here is the @sportsguychris 2018 College Football All-American Team:
We start at QB, where there was a difficult decision to be made between the top-two vote getters in the Heisman Trophy balloting. Oklahoma's Kyler Murray put in an incredible season through the air and on the ground, making up for a porous Oklahoma D, and led the Sooners to a 12-1 record and birth in the College Football Playoff. Murray broke his old teammate, Baker Mayfield's record from last season for QB rating in a season, and threw an impressive 40 TDs to just 7 INTs. He added another 892 yards rushing and 11 scores on the ground, which was what tipped the scales in his favor. It was an incredibly close decision, but in the end, Murray is the pick for the 1st Team Offense at QB, ever-so-slightly edging out Alabama's Tua Tagovailoa.
The decision for the two 1st-Team HBs was much easier as Wisconsin's Jonathan Taylor led the nation in rushing with 1,989 yards. He added 15 rushing TDs and a 7.1 yard-per-carry average for the season, making him an easy top choice for 1st Team HB. Joining Taylor is Memphis's Darrell Henderson - who, for a half in the AAC Title game against Central Florida, looking completely unstoppable. Henderson ran for 1,909 yards, and led the nation in rushing scores with 22, as well as his 8.9 yard-per-carry average. He added another 295 yards and 3 scores receiving, making him another easy choice as 1st Team HB.
At receiver, it was senior Andy Isabella from UMass, who turned in a terrific season, leading the nation in receiving yards with 1,698, while adding 102 receptions and 13 TDs. He is joined on the 1st Team by Alabama's sophomore WR Jerry Jeudy, who was a valued weapon in Alabama's near perfect passing assault. Jeudy turned in big performance after big performance, especially in the big games - going for 100 yards in the Tide's 29-0 shutout at LSU during the season, and even though he was quiet in the SEC Title game against Georgia, he still caught a big touchdown in that one. He just edged out Hawaii's John Ursua, who had 1,343 yards receiving and 16 TDs, and Purdue Freshman Rondale Moore, who made a ton of plays for the Boilermakers this season, leading the nation with 103 receptions, while also compiling 1,164 yards and 12 TDs, as both landed on the 2nd Team.
Rounding out the 1st Team on offense are UCLA's Caleb Wilson at TE, who caught 60 passes for an NCAA-leading 965 yards amongst TEs, just edging out Texas A&M's Jace Sternberger, who landed on the 2nd Team and turned in a huge season himself, hauling in 47 passes for 804 yards and 10 scores.
The 1st-Team offensive line consists of Rimington Trophy winner Garrett Bradbury of N.C. State at center, Outland Award finalist, and All-SEC choice Jonah Williams of Alabama at guard, two-time All-Big TEN 1st team and AP All-American Michael Dieter of Wisconsin at tackle, Outland Trophy finalist Mitch Hyatt of Clemson at the other tackle spot, and Oklahoma guard Ben Powers, who was a consensus All-American 1st team pick by three separate outlets, completes the 1st Team offense.
The 1st Team Defense was led by junior DE Sutton Smith out of Northern Illinois, who had a monster year, registering 56 total tackles, a whopping 24.5 tackles for loss, and finished tied for the NCAA lead with 15 sacks. He added 4 forced fumbles, 3 fumble recoveries, and a TD as well. Joining him along the defensive front are Louisiana Tech's Jaylon Ferguson, who also tied for the NCAA lead with 15 sacks, Alabama's dominant sophomore DL Quinnen Williams, and ACC Defensive Player of the Year and projected 1st Rd pick DE Clelin Ferrell of Clemson, who had a dominant season, racking up 10.5 sacks.
Pac-12 DPOY and the nation's leader in tackles in Washington's Ben Burr-Kervin, leads a very deserving trio of linebackers. Burr-Kervin lead the NCAA in total tackles with 165. He is joined by SEC DPOY in Kentucky LB Josh Allen, who had 14 sacks, and led the nation with 5 forced fumbles. Kansas may have had a down year, but LB Joe Dineen Jr had one heck of a season, leading the nation in solo tackles with 108, while registering 147 total tackles, with 10.5 going for loss on the year, landing him on the 1st Team as well.
Junior Cornerback Hamp Cheevers of Boston College led the nation in interceptions with 7, helping to land him on the first team, as he was joined by Virginia cornerback Bryce Hall, who was the NCAA leader with 20 passes defensed. Rounding out the 1st Team Defense are safeties Grant Delpit of LSU, and sophomore Richie Grant of UCF, who picked off 6 passes, all while piling up 101 tackles.
The 1st Team Selections:
(Note: Statistics shown are for the regular season [including Conference Title games], and do not include any bowl game statistics)
*- led NCAA in that respective statistical category
Offense
1st Team
QB Kyler Murray JR OKLA 4053/40/7; 70.9%*; 205.7#; 123/892/11
HB Jonathan Taylor SO WISC 280/1989*/15; 7.1
HB Darrell Henderson JR MEM 214/1909/22*; 8.9*; 19/295/3
WR Andy Isabella SR UMASS 102/1698*/13; 11/79/1
WR Jerry Jeudy SO BAMA 59/1103/12; 18.7
TE Caleb Wilson JR UCLA 60/965/4; 16.1
C Garrett Bradbury SR NC ST Rimington Award Winner; All-ACC
OG Jonah Williams JR BAMA Outland Trophy Finalist; All-SEC; 17' 3rd
OT Michael Dieter SR WISC AP All-America; All-Big Ten in 17 & 18
OT Mitch Hyatt SR CLEM Outland Trophy Finalist; All-ACC
OG Ben Powers SR OKLA Cons. All-America by 3 different outlets
Defense
1st Team
DE Sutton Smith JR NIU 56 tot tkls, 24.5FL, 15.0sks, 4FF, 3FR, 1TD
DL Jaylon Ferguson SR LT 60 tot tkls, 23.5FL, 15.0sks, 2FF, 1FR
DL Quinnen Williams SO BAMA 66 tot tkls, 18.0FL, 8.0sks, 1pd
DE Clelin Ferrell JR CLEM 47 tot tkls, 17.5FL, 10.5sks, 1pd, 2FF, 1TD - ACC DPOY
LB Ben Burr-Kervin SR WASH 165* tot tkls, 4.0FL, 1.0sk, 6pd, 2INT, 4FF, 3FR - Pac 12 DPOY
LB Josh Allen SR UK 84 tot tkls, 18.5FL, 14.0sks, 4pd, 5FF*, 2FR - SEC DPOY
LB Joe Dineen Jr. SR KANS 147 tot tkls (108*solo), 10.5FL, 3.0sks, 1INT, 2FR
CB Hamp Cheevers JR BC 39 tot tkls, 7pd, 7*INT, 1TD, 1FF, 1FR
CB Bryce Hall JR UVA 59 tot tkls, 3.5FL, 2.0sks, 20*pd, 2INT, 2FF, 1FR
S Grant Delpit SO LSU 73 tot tkls, 9.5FL, 5.0sks, 9pd, 5INT, 1FF, 1FR
DB Richie Grant SO UCF 101 tot tkls, 3.0FL, 3pd, 6INT, 2FF, 1FR
ECU's Nate Harvey highlights the 2nd team defense, as he led the country in tackles for loss with a whopping 25.5, while also piling up 14.5 sacks, good for 3rd in the nation. Central Michigan's Malik Fountain was a tackling machine and his 155 total tackles landed him on the 2nd team at LB. Middle Tennessee State's Wesley Bush picked off 6 passes, good for tied for second in the nation, 2 of which he returned for scores. Navy safety Sean Williams also turned in a solid season, tying for the nation lead in forced fumbles with 5, while also racking up 85 total tackles, getting him a spot on the 2nd Team.
Potential top pick in this year's NFL draft, DT Ed Oliver of Houston, highlights the 3rd Team defense. The fact that Oliver only played in 8 games, but still managed to make the 3rd team is a testament to just how dominant he truly was. Javahn Ferguson managed 132 total tackles in just 10 games for New Mexico State at LB, which was impressive enough to land him on the 3rd team as well.
Even the Honorable Mention defense was stacked with big- name talent in Clemson's Christian Wilkins and Michigan's Chase Winovich up front along the D-line, and Georgia's D'Andre Walker and LSU's Devin White at linebacker. Adrian Frye was impressive for Texas Tech as a freshman, intercepting 5 passes and getting a nod as an honorable mention selection at cornerback.
Heisman runner-up Tua Tagovailoa was the 2nd team QB. The Alabama sophomore was nearly perfect, as he remarkably did not throw his first interception until the 9th game of the season. Clemson HB Travis Etienne highlights the 2nd team as well, as he took home the ACC Offensive Player of the Year Award after rushing for 1,464 yards and 21 scores.
Ohio State's Dwayne Haskins leads a marque 3rd team offense after leading the nation in passing yards, and is joined by Oklahoma WR Marquise Brown, who finished with over 1,300 yards and 10 TDs, and Georgia tackle Andrew Thomas, Michigan tackle Jon Runyan, and Alabama center Ross Pierschbacher.
Offense
2nd Team
QB Tua Tagovailoa SO BAMA 3353/37/4; 67.7%; 202.3; 48/190/5
HB Travis Etienne SO CLEM 176/1464/21; 8.3; 10/65/1; ACC OPOY
HB Alexander Mattison JR BOISE 302/1415/17; 4.7; 27/173
WR John Ursua JR HAW 89/1343/16; 2/4/1
WR Rondale Moore FR PUR 103*/1164/12; 18/203/1
TE Jace Sternberger JR TA&M 47/804/10; 17.1
C Sam Mustipher SR ND Rimington Award Finalist
OT Greg Little JR OLE MISS 1st Team All-SEC; Preseason 1st
OG Beau Benzschawel SR WISC 1st Team All-BigTEN 17&18
OL Michael Jordan JR OSU 2nd Team All-BigTEN 17&18
OG Parker Braun JR GT 1st Team All-ACC 17&18
Defense
2nd Team
DE Nate Harvey SR ECU 63 tot tkls, 25.5*FL, 14.5sks, 1FF, 2FR
DE Oshane Ximines SR ODU 58 tot tkls, 18.0FL, 12.0sks 2pd, 1INT, 4FF
DL Jachai Polite JR UF 43 tot tkls, 18.0FL, 11.0sks, 4pd, 5FF*
DL Montez Sweat SR MISS ST 51 tot tkls, 14.0FL, 11.5sks, 1FF
LB Chase Hansen SR UTAH 114 tot tkls, 22.0FL, 5.0sks, 4pd, 2INT, 1FR, 1TD
LB Jordan Kunaszyk SR CAL 129 tot tkls, 10.0FL, 4.0sks, 3pd, 5FF*, 1FR
LB Malik Fountain SR CMU 155 tot tkls, 8.0FL, 1.0sk, 2pd, 2INT, 1FF
CB Wesley Bush SR MTST 70 tot tkls, 2.0FL, 0.5sk, 2pd, 6INT, 2TD
CB Paulson Adebo SO STAN 60 tot tkls, 4.0FL, 19pd, 4INT, 1FF
S Sean Williams JR NAVY 85 tot tkls, 1.5FL, 5pd, 2INT, 5FF*
DB Kemon Hall SR NT 43 tot tkls, 1.0FL, 12pd, 5INT, 2TD
In all, the SEC landed the most total players on the All-American team with 18, and was followed by the Big TEN (13), ACC (12), and Big XII and Pac-12, who landed 10 each total. Alabama leads the wat with 3 selections on the 1st Team, while Clemson, Oklahoma, and Wisconsin followed as each placed 2 on the 1st Team. Even some of the smaller, not as relevant programs were able to place multiple players on the list as both North Texas and New Mexico State managed to get 2 each. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are an independent, and landed 2 players on the list as well after reaching the CFP.
Offense
3rd Team
QB Dwayne Haskins SO OSU 4580*/47*/8; 70.2%; 175.8; 73/122/4
HB Michael Warren II SO CINC 224/1163/17; 5.2; 24/222/1
HB Eno Benjamin SO ASU 277/1524/15; 5.5; 33/247/2
WR Preston Williams SR CSU 96/1345/14; 14.0
WR Marquise Brown JR OKLA 75/1318/10; 17.6
TE Irv Smith Jr. JR BAMA 38/648/7; 17.1
C Ross Pierschbacher SR BAMA mid-season All-Am; 42 starts at LG
OT Nick Harris JR WASH 1st Team All Pac-12
OT Jon Runyan SR MICH 1st Team All-BigTEN
OT Andrew Thomas SO UGA 1st Team All-SEC
OL Bunchy Stallings SR UK 3 year starter; 1st Team All-SEC
Defense
3rd Team
DT Ed Oliver JR HOU 54 tot tkls, 14.5FL, 3.0sks, 2pd, 1FF (8G)
DL Alton Robinson JR SYR 39 tot tkls, 17.0FL, 10.0sks, 2pd, 3FF, 2FR
DE Brian Burns JR FSU 52 tot tkls, 15.5FL, 10.0sks, 3pd, 3FF, 1FR
DE A.J. Epenesa SO IOWA 35 tot tkls, 15.5FL, 9.5sks, 2pd, 3FF, 1FR, 1TD
LB Javahn Ferguson JR NMST 132 tot tkls, 7.5FL, 5.5 sks, 1INT, 1TD, 1FF, 2FR
LB Khalil Hodge SR BUFF 139 tot tkls, 7.5FL, 1.5sks, 2pd, 1INT, 1FF
LB Evan Weaver JR CAL 143 tot tkls, 8.5FL, 4.5sks, 6pd, 2INT, 1TD
CB Alvin Davis JR AKRON 75 tot tkls, 1.0FL, 3pd, 4INT, 2TD, 2FF, 2FR
CB Andre Cisco FR SYR 51 tot tkls, 1.0FL, 9pd, 7*INT, 1FF
S Isaiah Simmons SO CLEM 74 tot tkls, 7.5FL, 1.5sks, 4pd, 1INT, 1TD, 3FF
S Jalen Elliott JR ND 63 tot tkls, 1.0FL, 0.5sk, 6pd, 4INT, 1FF
Offense
Honorable Mention
QB Gardner Minshew II SR WSU 4477/36/9; 70.6%; 148.4; 52/103/3
QB Will Grier SR WVU 3864/37/8; 67.0%; 175.5; 3 rush TD
QB D'Eriq King JR HOU 2982/36/6; 63.5%; 167.0; 111/674/14
HB Trayveon Williams JR TA&M 252/1524/15; 6.0; 27/278/1
HB Devin Singletary JR FAU 261/1348/22*; 5.2
WR Rico Bussey Jr JR NT 68/1017/12; 15.0
WR Antoine Wesley JR TTU 88/1410/9; 16.0
WR Tylan Wallace SO OKST 79/1408/11; 17.8
TE Josh Oliver SR SJST 56/709/4; 12.7
TE Noah Fant JR IOWA 39/518/7; 13.3
C Tyler Biadasz SO WISC 1st Team All BigTEN; Fr All-Am
C Lamont Gaillard SR UGA 1st Team All-SEC
OT Isaiah Prince SR OSU 1st Team All-Big TEN
Defense
Honorable Mention
DE Patick Johnson SO TUL 46 tot tkls, 14.0FL, 9.5sks, 3pd, 4FF, 1FR
DL Christian Wilkins SR CLEM 46 tot tkls, 12.5FL, 4.5sks, 2pd, 1FF, 2FR
DE Charles Omenihu SR TEXAS 43 tot tkls, 16.0FL, 9.5sks, 1pd, 1FF, 1FR
DL Chase Winovich SR MICH 52 tot tkls, 13.0FL, 4.0sks, 1pd, 1FR
LB E.J. Ejiya SR NT 113 tot tkls, 23.5FL, 9.0sks, 1FF, 1FR
LB D'Andre Walker SR UGA 45 tot tkls, 11.0FL, 7.5sks, 3pd, 4FF, 1FR
LB Devin White JR LSU 115 tot tkls, 12.0FL, 3.0sks, 5pd, 2FF, 2FR
DB Ky'el Hemby SO SO MISS 51 tot tkls, 1.0FL, 2pd, 6INT
CB Adrian Frye FR TTU 21 tot tkls, 10pd, 5INT, 1TD
DB Adarius Pickett SR UCLA 123 tot tkls, 4pd, 2INT, 1FR
S Ron LaForce SR NMST 122 tot tkls, 1.0FL
LB Devin Bush JR MICH 66 tot tkls, 8.5FL, 4.5sks, 4pd - Big TEN DPOY
LB David Long Jr JR WVU 94 tot tkls, 19.0FL, 7.0sks, 4pd, 2FF, 1FR - Big XII DPOY
In all, 56 different schools placed at least one individual somewhere on the list. Alabama led the way with a total of 6 players between the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and honorable mention teams. Clemson is right behind with 5 and Wisconsin is next with 4. Oklahoma, Ohio State, Georgia, and Michigan follow with 3 players each. All 5 'power conferences' are well-represented as well as each of 'the group of 5' conferences. I hope you enjoyed the all-encompassing @sportsguychris 2018 College Football All-American team. I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below - Agree? Disagree? did I miss anyone (doubtful!)?
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