Source: montgomeryadvertiser.com / Auburn's Derrick Brown was an easy 1st Team choice at DL on my 2019-20 All-American Team.

Welcome back all! As we inch closer to what should be an incredible National Title game showdown between #1 LSU & #3 Clemson less than a week from today, it's the perfect time to unveil my 2019-20 NCAA Football All-American Team. I've scoured the country high and low and put together the most comprehensive list of All-Americans out there. As a matter of fact, it's so encompassing that it needs two parts. As such, today I'll be focusing on the defensive side.

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The All-American Team consists of a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd team, as well as "honorable mention" selections. Each team is divided into the traditional alotments of 4 defensive lineman, 3 linebackers, and 4 defensive backs. In all, 48 players made the list for the defensive side. All 10 FBS Conferences are represented, as well as the independents. In all, Ohio State led the way with 3 players, including 2 on the first team, while Baylor also landed 3 players on the list, although none managed to crack the 1st team. Clemson, Alabama, LSU, and Wisconsin all managed to land 2 players on the list. Texas Tech was next with a pair of players as well, but both only made the "honorable mention" list.

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There is plenty to cover, so let's dive right into it. Bednarik Award Winner & Big TEN Defensive POY Chase Young of Ohio State headlines the 1st Team Defense. The Junior DE led the nation in sacks with 16.5, forced fumbles with 7, and was amongst the leaders in tackles for loss. He is joined on the 1st team by teammate Jeff Okudah at CB, who highlights the first team defensive backfield along with LSU's Thorpe Award-Winner Grant Delpit at safety. Pac-12 Defensive POY & the nation's leading tackler in (and it wasn't even close) Evan Weaver of Cal, leads an uber-talented trio of 1st team LBs. Joining Weaver at LB, are Clemson's do-it-all defensive leader, Isaiah Simmons, and Dele Harding of Illinois, who managed to finish second in the nation in tackles behind Weaver, and also had a pair of INT returns for scores.

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Source: osubeavers.com / Oregon State's Rashed Jr. led the nation in tackles for loss with 22.5 and was tied for 2nd in sacks with 14.

Hamilcar Rashed Jr. not only gets a nod for coolest name on this list, but the talented Oregon State LB also highlights the 2nd team. The junior LB led the country in tackles for loss with 22.5, and was amongst the nation's leaders in sacks with 14. He was a disruptive force up front for the Beavers all season long. Senior DE Bradlee Anae of Utah highlights the 2nd team defensive line. He was an easy choice for 1st team All Pac-12 honors, as he piled up 14.0 tackles for loss & 13 sacks for one of the nation's top defensive units.

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Bama's Xavier McKinney & Ohio State's Jordan Fuller provide the 2nd team defensive backfield with star power & plenty of play-making ability. Wyoming's Alijah Halliburton is another noteworthy 2nd team selection. The senior piled up 130 total tackles from his safety position, including 11 for loss, and still managed to haul in a pair of INTs.

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Source: buffalochipsaloon.com / Wisconsin's Chris Orr highlights the 3rd team LBs. The senior managed 14 tackles for loss & 11.5 sacks for the Badgers top-10 defense.

There's not much of a drop-off from the 2nd team to the 3rd team, as evidenced by 1st team All-SEC DL Jonathan Greenard of Florida leading the way. 10 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, and a defensive TD later, and the sophomore was an easy pick to lead off the 3rd team. A pair of All- Big TEN performers highlight the 3rd team LB core. Wisconsin's Chris Orr (14.0 tackles for loss, 11.5 sacks), and Penn State's Micah Parsons (the Big TEN LB of the year) were easy choices for the 3rd team, and honestly could have made the 2nd team.

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Patrick Nelson of SMU was also an easy pick for the 3rd team, as the senior safety racked up 18 tackles for loss & 12.5 sacks. J.R. Reed of Georgia & Tanner Muse of Clemson also highlight an impressive 3rd team defensive backfield.

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Source: si.com / Alabama's Davis (99) was once-again a near unstoppable force up front for Nick Saban's Crimson Tide defense.

Rounding out the defensive All-American Team are the "Honorable Mention" selections. DT Khalid Kareem of Notre Dame leads off the choices. Raekwon Davis of Alabama and freshman standout Kayvon Thibodeaux of Oregon are other notable "Honorable Mention" picks along the defensive front. Meiko Dotson 's 9 INTs were tied for the nation's lead, as the Florida Atlantic junior cornerback gets a well-deserved nod on the "Honorable Mention" list. Stanford's Paulson Adebo would have been an easy choice for 1st or 2nd team, but was limited to just 9 games, but still managed 10 passes defensed & 4 INTs, making him a noteworthy & extremely talented pick for the "Honorable Mention" list.

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That about sums up the @sportsguychris 2019-20 NCAA Football All-American Team for Defense. In all, the Big TEN conference is well-represented with 9 players, followed by the SEC with 7, the Pac-12 with 6, and the ACC with 5. The Big XII had 5 players on the "Honorable Mention" list, and 2 more on the 2nd team for a total of 7 as well. The Big TEN had the most amongst the 1st & 2nd teams combined (6), with the SEC (3) next.

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Be sure to check back for the rest of the All-American Team when my selections for offense are released later in the week. I would love to get your thoughts in the comments section. Without further ado, the @sportsguychris 2019-20 NCAA Football All-American Defensive Team:

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2019-2020 ALL-AMERICAN TEAM

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(Player's statistics in parentheses)

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DEFENSE

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1ST TEAM ⭐

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Source: si.com / The Buckeyes' Young was the most dominant defensive player in college football this season & highlights the @sportsguychris All-American Defensive 1st Team.

DE CHASE YOUNG JR Ohio State

(46 total tkls, 21.0FL, 16.5sks, 3pd, 7FF)

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DE CURTIS WEAVER JR Boise State

(52 total tkls, 19.5FL, 13.5sks, 3pd, 1INT, 1FF)

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DL DERRICK BROWN SR Auburn

(54 total tkls, 11.5FL, 4.0sks, 4pd, 2FF, 2FR)

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DL GREGORY ROUSSEAU FR Miami FL

(54 total tkls, 19.5FL, 15.5sks, 1pd, 2FF, 1FR)

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LB EVAN WEAVER SR Cal

(181 total tkls, 11.5FL, 2.5sks, 3pd, 2FF)

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LB ISAIAH SIMMONS JR Clemson

(97 total tkls, 14.5FL, 7.0sks, 3INT, 6pd, 2FF, 1FR)

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LB DELE HARDING SR Illinois

(149 total tkls, 14.0FL, 3INT, 2TD, 2FF, 2FR)

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CB LUQ BARCOO SR San Diego State

(55 total tkls, 5.0FL, 0.5sks, 16pd, 9INT)

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CB JEFF OKUDAH JR Ohio State

(34 total tkls, 1.0FL, 9pd, 3INT, 1FF)

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S GRANT DELPIT JR LSU

(59 total tkls, 3.5FL, 1.0sk, 7pd, 2INT, 1FR)

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S ANTOINE WINFIELD JR. SO Minnesota

(83 total tkls, 3.5FL, 3.0sks, 1pd, 7INT, 1TD, 2FF)

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2ND TEAM ⭐⭐

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Source: kpvi.com / Wyoming safety Alijah Halliburton (3) proved to be a tackling machine, racking up 130 total tackles to help lead a very good Cowboys' defense to an 8-5 record.

DT JAMES LYNCH JR Baylor

(41 total tkls, 19.5FL, 13.5sks, 5pd, 3FF, 2FR)

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DL DEANGELO MALONE JR Western Kentucky

(99 total tkls, 21.0FL, 11.0sks, 1FR, 1TD)

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DE ALEX HIGHSMITH SR Charlotte

(75 total tkls, 21.5FL, 14.0sks, 3pd, 2FF)

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DE BRADLEE ANAE SR Utah

(41 total tkls, 14.0FL, 13.0sks, 1FF)

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LB HAMILCAR RASHED JR. JR Oregon State

(62 total tkls, 22.5FL, 14.0sks, 2pd, 2FF, 1FR)

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LB ZACK BAUN SR Wisconsin

(75 total tkls, 19.5FL, 12.5sks, 2pd, 1INT, 1TD, 2FF)

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LB GARRET WALLOW JR Texas Christian

(125 total tkls, 18.0FL, 3.5sks, 1pd, 1INT)

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CB AMIK ROBERTSON JR Louisiana Tech

(60 total tkls, 8.0FL, 1.0sk, 16pd, 5INT, 2TD, 1FF, 1FR)

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DB XAVIER MCKINNEY JR Alabama

(95 total tkls, 5.5FL, 3.0sks, 5pd, 3INT, 1TD, 4FF, 1FR)

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S JORDAN FULLER SR Ohio State

(62 total tkls, 4pd, 2INT, 1FR)

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S ALIJAH HALLIBURTON SR Wyoming

(130 total tkls, 11.0FL, 2.0sks, 1pd, 2INT, 1FR)

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3RD TEAM ⭐⭐⭐

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Source: thespun.com / Florida's Greenard was an All-SEC 1st Team choice, while helping to lead a very good Gators' defense to an 11-2 record.

DL JONATHAN GREENARD SO Florida

(53 total tkls, 16.0FL, 10.0sks, 4pd, 1INT, 3FF, 1FR, 1TD)

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DL CARLOS BASHAM JR. JR Wake Forest

(57 total tkls, 18.0FL, 10.0sks, 3pd, 3FF)

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DE A.J. EPENESA JR Iowa

49 total tkls, 14.0FL, 11.5sks, 3pd, 4FF

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DE QUINCY ROCHE JR Temple

(49 total tkls, 19.0, 13.0sks, pd, 1FF, 2FF)

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LB TRESHAUN HAYWARD JR WMU

(142 total tkls, 11.0FL, 4.5sks, 1pd, 1FF, 1FR)

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LB CHRIS ORR SR Wisconsin

(78 total tkls, 14.0FL, 11.5sks, 5pd, 2FF, 1FR)

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LB MICAH PARSONS SO Penn State

(109 total tkls, 14.0FL, 5.0sks, 5pd, 4FF, 1FR)

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DB DARREON JACKSON SR Arkansas State

(120 total tkls, 7.5FL, 1.5sks, 1pd, 2INT)

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DB J.R. REED SR Georgia

(54 total tkls, 2.0FL, 0.5sks, 7pd, 1INT, 1FF, 1FR, 1TD)

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S TANNER MUSE SO Clemson

(49 total tkls, 4.5FL, 1.5sks, 3pd, 4INT)

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S PATRICK NELSON SR SMU

(81 total tkls, 18.0FL, 12.5sks, 2pd, 1INT, 1FF, 1FR)

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"HONORABLE MENTION"

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Source: palmbeachpost.com / Florida Atlantic's Meiko Dotson (15) tied for the nation's lead in INTs with 9, making him a noteworthy "Honorable Mention" selection at CB.

DL KHALID KAREEM SR Notre Dame

(46 total tkls, 10.0FL, 5.5sks, 1pd, 3FF, 1FR, 1TD)

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DT MARVIN WILSON JR Florida State

(44 total tkls, 8.5FL, 5.0sks, 4pd, 1FF, 1FR (9G))

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DL RAEKWON DAVIS SR Alabama

(47 total tkls, 3.0FL, 0.5sk)

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DE WYATT HUBERT SO Kansas State

(33 total tkls, 12.5FL, 7.0sks, 1FF)

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DT BRAVVION ROY SR Baylor

(61 total tkls, 13.0FL, 5.5sks, 1FF)

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DE KAYVON THIBODEAUX FR Oregon

(35 total tkls, 14.0FL, 9.0sks, 3pd, 1FF)

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LB BLAZE ALLDREDGE JR Rice

(102 total tkls, 21.5FL, 4.0sks, 2pd, 1FF, 1FR)

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LB JORDYN BROOKS JR Texas Tech

(108 total tkls, 20.0FL, 3.0sks, 1FF, 2FR)

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LB JAHAD WOODS JR Washington State

(141 total tkls, 10.0FL, 3.0sks, 3pd, 1INT, 1FF)

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LB K'LAVON CHAISSON SO LSU

(58 total tkls, 13.5FL, 6.5sks, 2pd, 1FF)

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DB DOUGLAS COLEMAN SR Texas Tech

(63 total tkls, 2pd, 8INT)

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CB PAULSON ADEBO JR Stanford

(33 total tkls, 10pd, 4INT (9G))

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CB GRAYLOND ARNOLD JR Baylor

(45 total tkls, 2.5FL, 1.0sk, 2pd, 6INT)

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CB MEIKO DOTSON JR Florida Atlantic

(30 total tkls, 1.0FL, 3pd, 9INT)

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S JA'VON HICKS SO Cincinnati

(50 total tkls, 0.5FL, 1pd, 5INT, 2FF, 4FR)

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[Statistics courtesy of ncaa.com & sportsreference.com]