The All-American First Team and Second Team were announced today by USA TODAY Sports in the midst of award season. The first team was highlighted by the three Heisman finalists, Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson, Alabama running back Derrick Henry, and Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey. Here are the entire first team selections:
QB: Deshaun Watson, Clemson
RB: Derrick Henry, Alabama
RB: Christian McCaffrey, Stanford
WR: Corey Coleman, Baylor
WR: Josh Doctson, TCU
TE: Hunter Henry, Arkansas
OL: Jack Conklin, Michigan State
OL: Joshua Garnett, Stanford
OL: Ryan Kelly, Alabama
OL: Spencer Drango, Baylor
OL: Joe Thuney, North Carolina State
DL: Joey Bosa, Ohio State
DL: Sheldon Day, Notre Dame
DL: DeForest Buckner, Oregon
DL: Shaq Lawson, Clemson
LB: Tyler Matakevich, Temple
LB: Jaylon Smith, Notre Dame
LB: Reggie Ragland, Alabama
CB: Jourdan Lewis, Michigan
CB: Desmond King, Iowa
S: Jeremy Cash, Duke
S: Marcus Maye, Florida
K: Jake Elliott, Memphis
P: Tom Hackett, Utah
RET: Morgan Burns, Kansas State
One of the standout selections from the first team is Temple linebacker, Tyler Matakevich. Matakevich was recently selected as the recipient of the Nagurski Award, which is awarded to the nation’s top defensive player. Matakevich is one of only two player from a non-Power 5 school to earn a spot on the All-American First Team.
As for conference representation on the first team, five players are from the SEC (three of which are from Alabama), four from the Big Ten, four from the ACC, four from the Pac 12, four from the Big 12, two Independents (both from Notre Dame), and two from the American.
As for the second team of All-Americans, it is as follows:
QB: Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma
RB: Ezekiel Elliott, Ohio State
RB: Leonard Fournette, LSU
WR: Will Fuller, Notre Dame
WR: Sterling Shepard, Oklahoma
TE: David Morgan, UTSA
OL: Roderick Johnson, Florida State
OL: Jack Allen, Michigan State
OL: Matt Skura, Duke
OL: Taylor Decker, Ohio State
OL: Joe Dahl, Washington State
DL: Carl Nassib, Penn State
DL: A'Shawn Robinson, Alabama
DL: Andrew Billings, Baylor
DL: Emmanuel Ogbah, Oklahoma State
LB: Kentrell Brothers, Missouri
LB: Blake Martinez, Stanford
LB: Joe Schobert, Wisconsin
CB: Zack Sanchez, Oklahoma
CB: Jalen Ramsey, Florida State
S: Damontae Kazee, San Diego State
S: Quin Blanding, Virginia
K: Roberto Aguayo, Florida State
P: Hayden Hunt, Colorado State
RET: Will Likely, Maryland
The Second Team All-Americans includes some standout college football stars, such as Baker Mayfield, Carl Nassib, Will Fuller, Ezekiel Elliott, and Leonard Fournette.
Out of both the First Team and Second Team, eleven of the total selections are players from teams in the College Football Playoffs. Only five players of the total fifty players selected are from Group of 5 schools, showing not only a little bit of the talent gap between Power 5 schools and Group of 5 schools, but also how much the school you play at is taken into evaluating who makes the cut.