Meet the ESPN All-America team
We’ll have to wait another 19 days to see No. 1 Alabama, No. 2 Clemson, No. 3 Notre Dame and No. 4 Oklahoma play in the College Football Playoff semifinal games on Dec. 29.
Those squads are well represented on ESPN’s 2018 All-America team, with the Crimson Tide leading the way with four selections, followed by Clemson with three and Notre Dame and Oklahoma with two each.
And in honor of today’s high-scoring, wide-open offenses, we’re going with three wide receivers and no tight ends (sorry, Texas A&M’s Jace Sternberger and Iowa’s T.J. Hockenson).
Here are your 2018 ESPN All-Americans:
QB: Kyler Murray, Oklahoma
Murray might have spent this year shagging fly balls in the minor leagues. Instead, he produced one of the greatest seasons in FBS history as the No. 4 Sooners reached the College Football Playoff for the second straight year. Murray’s 96.0 QBR is the highest entering bowl season in the 15 seasons that ESPN has tracked the metric. He completed 70.9 percent of his passes for 4,053 yards, rushed for 892 yards and accounted for 51 total touchdowns. The Sooners are on pace to break the FBS record for yards per play heading into their Capital One Orange Bowl showdown with No. 1 Alabama.
RB: Travis Etienne, Clemson
Etienne finished 10th among FBS players in rushing with 1,463 yards but did it with far few carries than those ahead of him. He had 104 fewer attempts than FBS rushing leader Jonathan Taylor of Wisconsin, and Etienne’s 8.31 yards per carry ranked No. 2 among FBS players with at least 150 attempts. He averaged 9.3 yards on first down and had 1,035 yards against teams with winning records, most in the country. He almost single-handedly saved the No. 2 Tigers’ season when he ran 27 times for 203 yards with three touchdowns in a 27-23 win over Syracuse on Sept. 29 after starting QB Trevor Lawrence went down because of an injury.
RB: Darrell Henderson, Memphis
To say Henderson is a threat from any part of the field would be an understatement. He leads FBS players with 55 gains of at least 10 yards, 27 of 20, 16 of 30, 12 of 40, 10 of 50 and six of 60 this season. He is the second-leading rusher with 1,909 yards and leads the FBS with 2,328 all-purpose yards and 25 total touchdowns. Henderson needs 55 rushing yards against Wake Forest in the Dec. 22 Jared Birmingham Bowl to break DeAngelo Williams’ single-season school record of 1,964 yards set in 2005.
WR: Marquise Brown, Oklahoma
Known as “Hollywood,” Brown was Murray’s leading man this season with 75 catches for 1,318 yards with 10 touchdowns. Brown and CeeDee Lamb both produced 1,000-yard seasons, and they’re the first Oklahoma teammates with at least 10 touchdown catches in the same season since tight end Jermaine Gresham (14) and Juaquin Iglesias (10) in 2008. Brown leads the FBS with seven catches of at least 50 yards. He injured his lower left leg against Texas in the Big 12 championship game; his status for the Orange Bowl is questionable.
WR: Jerry Jeudy, Alabama
Jeudy stepped into Calvin Ridley’s shoes as the Crimson Tide’s No. 1 receiver and quickly became Tua Tagovailoa‘s favorite target this season. The sophomore caught 59 passes for 1,103 yards with 12 touchdowns, the most by an Alabama player since Amari Cooper had 16 in 2014. Jeudy’s 18.7 yards per catch is second best among FBS players with at least 50 receptions. The Biletnikoff winner caught the tying touchdown on third-and-goal late in the fourth quarter of Alabama’s 35-28 victory over Georgia in the SEC championship game.
WR: Tylan Wallace, Oklahoma State
Wallace burst onto the scene as the Pokes’ next great pass-catcher, hauling in 79 passes for 1,408 yards with 11 touchdowns. His 1,408 receiving yards rank third among FBS players, and he leads all players with 59 catches of at least 10 yards and 25 of at least 20. Wallace did his best work in OSU’s biggest games, with 10 catches for 222 yards with two scores in a 38-35 upset of Texas and 10 receptions for 220 yards with two scores in a 48-47 loss to Oklahoma.
OT: Jonah Williams, Alabama
Williams has started 42 consecutive games since arriving at Alabama, including the past 27 at left tackle. He didn’t give up a sack and gave up only nine quarterback pressures in 410 pass-blocking snaps this season, according to Pro Football Focus, and his 85.4 percent grade on run plays is tops among all FBS tackles. In three seasons, Williams has helped lead the way for 20 100-yard rushing performances. This season, Alabama leads the SEC and ranks No. 2 nationally in scoring with 47.9 points per game.
OG: Terronne Prescod, NC State
There might not have been a more consistent offensive lineman in the FBS than NC State’s mammoth 6-foot-5, 334-pound guard. His overall grade of 85.7 is best among all FBS offensive linemen, according to PFF, and he gave up only six quarterback hurries in 342 pass-blocking plays. His 86.2 run-blocking grade is 4.1 points higher than any other player. NC State leads the ACC and is ranked No. 3 in the FBS in sacks allowed, with only nine surrendered in 12 games.
C: Sam Mustipher, Notre Dame
The anchor of Notre Dame’s offensive line and a team captain, Mustipher has started 37 games over the past three seasons. He didn’t give up a sack in 2017 and was a finalist for the Rimington Award as the best center in the FBS this season. The Fighting Irish didn’t have a lost-yardage play in a 42-13 win over Florida State on Nov. 20, the first time they’d accomplished that feat since 1964. He allowed one sack and just two quarterback hits in 883 snaps this season. Mustipher and the rest of Notre Dame’s offensive line will have their hands full against Clemson’s stout defensive front in a CFP semifinal at the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic on Dec. 29.
OG: Beau Benzschawel, Wisconsin
The Badgers might have had any of three offensive linemen on the team, and Benzschawel was perhaps the most consistent. He gave up only seven quarterback hurries in 328 pass-protection plays, according to PFF, and his 83.8 run-blocking grade was second to only Prescod among guards. Benzschawel helped pave the way for Badgers running back Jonathan Taylor, who leads the FBS with 1,989 rushing yards in 280 attempts.
From Arkansas State-Nevada to Alabama-Oklahoma, here’s how to get the most game-watching satisfaction.
Wisconsin dominates the All-America team with four first-teamers, while Alabama, Clemson and West Virginia have two each.
OT: Dalton Risner, Kansas State
A four-year starter and three-time captain, Risner was one of the most dominant pass-blockers in college football. He didn’t give up a sack for the second straight season and has surrendered only one in 1,489 career snaps. He was named Big 12 Co-Offensive Lineman of the Year and helped lead the way for Wildcats tailback Alex Barnes, who led the Big 12 with 1,355 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns.
AP: Rondale Moore, Purdue
Purdue’s 5-foot-9 freshman leads the FBS with 103 catches, had at least 10 catches in five games and had at least 100 receiving yards in seven. He won the Paul Hornung Award as college football’s most versatile player and was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year and Receiver of the Year. Moore leads the Big Ten in receiving yards (1,164), receiving touchdowns (12) and kickoff return yards (599). He had at least 100 all-purpose yards in nine games, including a school-record 313 in the opener against Northwestern.
DE: Clelin Ferrell, Clemson
Ferrell, who won the Ted Hendricks Award as the country’s top defensive end, returned to Clemson to help the Tigers win a fourth straight ACC title and earn another trip to the CFP. He also helped himself tremendously in terms of NFL draft stock, after totaling an ACC-best 10½ sacks to go with 17 tackles for loss, 13 quarterback hurries, three pass breakups and 45 tackles. The Tigers rank No. 1 in the FBS by giving up only 2.4 yards per rushing attempt and are No. 2 with 121 tackles for loss and 45 sacks.
DT: Christian Wilkins, Clemson
The linchpin of Clemson’s dominant defensive front, Wilkins led ACC interior linemen with 36 total pressures. Wilkins also had 36 solo tackles, 52 total tackles, 13½ tackles for loss, five sacks, one forced fumble, one blocked kick and two rushing touchdowns. More impressive, he won the Campbell Trophy as college football’s top scholar athlete. Wilkins became the first Clemson football player to earn a bachelor’s degree in 2½ years, according to the school, and he’ll earn a master’s degree later this month.
DT: Quinnen Williams, Alabama
A first-time starter after spending much of the past two seasons on the sideline, Williams was the most dominant defensive player in the FBS, according to PFF. He led the Crimson Tide with 16 tackles for loss and tied for the team lead with 11 quarterback pressures to go with 58 tackles, seven sacks, one safety and one pass breakup. Williams won the Outland Trophy, which goes to the best interior lineman, and was a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and Chuck Bednarik Award.
DE: Sutton Smith, Northern Illinois
Smith was recruited as a running back, and the Huskies were the only FBS school to offer him a scholarship. Now, he’s one of the sport’s best pass-rushers, tying for the FBS lead with 15 sacks and finishing second with 24½ tackles for loss. He set the Northern Illinois single-season record for sacks, after totaling 14 as a junior in 2017. He scored two touchdowns this season, then proposed to his girlfriend after Northern Illinois’ 30-29 victory over Buffalo in the MAC championship game.
LB: Josh Allen, Kentucky
Allen was headed to FCS program Monmouth in 2015 until the Wildcats offered a last-minute scholarship. He’ll leave Kentucky as one of the most decorated defensive players in school history. A former two-star recruit, Allen was named SEC Defensive Player of the Year, won the Bronko Nagurski Award and Bednarik Award, and was runner-up for the Butkus Award. He ranks fourth in the FBS with 14 sacks, tied for 10th with 18½ tackles for loss and tied for first with five forced fumbles. According to PFF, his 93.5 pass-rush grade was best among FBS players, and he was equally effective in pass coverage, giving up only 19 catches for 130 yards with no touchdowns in 141 drops.
LB: Devin White, LSU
White became the first LSU player and the third straight from the SEC to win the Butkus Award as the country’s top linebacker. He leads the Tigers with 115 total tackles to go with 12 tackles for loss, three sacks, five pass breakups, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. White averaged 11.4 tackles against five ranked opponents. He had a career-best 17 tackles and four tackles for loss, including a sack and forced fumble, in a 74-72 seven-overtime loss to Texas A&M in the regular-season finale. He is only the seventh player in LSU history to record 100 tackles in back-to-back seasons.
LB: Ben Burr-Kirven, Washington
Although Burr-Kirven is considered a bit undersized at 6 feet, 221 pounds, he has been a one-man tackling machine for the Huskies this season. He leads the FBS with 165 tackles and has 97 more than any other Washington player. He is tied for the 18th-highest single-season tackles total in FBS history and the most by a Huskies player in nearly 30 years. He also has four forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, six pass breakups and two interceptions. He became the first Pac-12 player to win the Pat Tillman Defensive Player of the Year and the Scholar-Athlete of the Year in the same season.
CB: DeAndre Baker, Georgia
If a cornerback’s effectiveness is determined by the number of times an opponent throws to his side of the field, Baker must have been pretty good this season. He won the Jim Thorpe Award as the best defensive back in college football. According to PFF, Baker has been targeted fewer than four times per game, and opponents averaged only 4.1 yards while targeting him. He has given up only 20 receptions in 42 targets — none longer than 17 yards — and didn’t surrender a touchdown in each of the past two seasons. Baker has 40 tackles, two tackles for loss, 10 pass breakups, two interceptions, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.
S: Deionte Thompson, Alabama
Thompson is one of the most physical safeties in the FBS, as evidenced by his 71 tackles, which are only five fewer than Tide linebacker Dylan Moses for the team lead. Thompson’s 42 solo tackles are tied with Williams for tops on the team, and he has 3½ tackles for loss, five pass breakups, two interceptions and four forced fumbles. According to PFF, Thompson gave up only a 64.1 passer rating in 32 targets.
S: Taylor Rapp, Washington
Rapp is the most versatile and productive player in what might be the best secondary in the FBS. He is the highest-rated safety in the country, according to PFF, and has 59 tackles, six tackles for loss, five sacks, four pass breakups, two interceptions and three fumble recoveries. The Huskies are the only team in the country that hasn’t given up a pass of 40 yards or longer this season, and they’ve surrendered only nine passing touchdowns in 13 games.
CB: Julian Love, Notre Dame
Defense is a big reason why Notre Dame finds itself in the CFP, and Love is its leader on the back end. In only three seasons, Love set the school career record with 43 passes defended. He has 47 tackles, three tackles for loss, one interception and three fumble recoveries this season. The Irish rank fourth in the FBS in pass-efficiency defense and have surrendered only seven passing touchdowns, with just one coming at Love’s expense. He was a finalist for the Thorpe Award.
K: Andre Szymt, Syracuse
The Orange leaned heavily on Szmyt’s right leg this season, as he led the FBS in field goals made (28), field goals attempted (32), field goals per game (2.33) and points per game (11.8). Not surprisingly, he won the Lou Groza Award as the nation’s top kicker. He also went 57-for-57 on extra point attempts and made each of his field goal attempts longer than 50 yards. His 141 points scored were a Syracuse single-season record.
P: Braden Mann, Texas A&M
Mann was a field-position weapon for the Aggies in coach Jimbo Fisher’s first season. The Aggies were the only FBS team to average more than 50 yards per punt, and Mann had punts longer than 60 yards in eight of 12 games. He won the Ray Guy Award as the nation’s top punter. Mann averaged 45 yards after returns, which ranked No. 1 in the FBS, and 29 of his 47 punts were downed inside opponents’ 20-yard line. He is on pace to break the NCAA single-season record for punting average, and he set the single-game record with a 60.8-yard average on five punts in a 45-23 loss to Alabama.
KR: Mecole Hardman, Georgia
Hardman ranked No. 2 in the FBS in punt returns with a 20.1-yard average and averaged 25 yards on kickoff returns. He returned 16 punts for 321 yards with one touchdown — a 70-yarder in the Bulldogs’ 49-7 win over Middle Tennessee. He also had a 23-yard return against Missouri, a 65-yarder against Kentucky and a 27-yarder against Georgia Tech, each of which helped set up a touchdown. Hardman led FBS players with eight punt returns of 20 yards or longer.