NCAA Football All-Americans

As we begin the college football All-Star season, it seems as if it is the time to honor this season's We Make It Rain All-Americans. Although there are more than 11 offenseive and defensive players listed, the team is selected to account for the various offenses and defenses used around the country (trip receivers, spread, 3-4, 4-3, etc.). I also choose some backups to account for different styles of players. I chose to explain my picks in some instances, and not in others. Why? Because I feel like it. Now here are the Pepster All-Americans. Those in bold are those that I chose as Pepster Preseason All-Americans.

Offense

QB - Colt McCoy, Texas; Kellen Moore, Boise State - McCoy led Texas to the NCAA Championship game without much of a running game. Moore had huge numbers, and Boise State has to get some recognition.

RB - Mark Ingram, Alabama, Toby Gerhart, Stanford, Ryan Williams, Virginia Tech - The Heisman Trophy winner and runner up, and Ryan Williams is my preseason player to watch next season. What, no C.J. Spiller? Keep reading.

WR - Jordan Shipley, Texas, Mardy Gilyard; Freddie Barnes, Bowling Green; Golden Tate, Notre Dame - Shipley should have been a Heisman finalist, Barnes led the country in receptions (155) and receiving yards (1,770), and Tate is good, when he isn't complaining and campaigning for pass interference penalties.

TE - Aaron Hernandez, Florida - And nobody else was close.

T - Bryan Bulaga, Iowa; Russel Okung, Oklahoma State - Both big and strong, and keys to their respective offenses.

G - Mike Iupati, Idaho; ; Rodney Hudson, Florida State - Hudson did not give up a quarterback pressure all year.

C - Maurkice Pouncey, Florida - Definitely stood out this year, and for good reason.

Defense

DE - Jerry Hughes, TCU; Derrick Morgan, Georgia Tech; Sergio Kindle, Texas - Hughes was simply dominating, and Morgan was remarkably consistent. Kindle gets this position simply by virtue of his work in the BCS Championship game. My humble apologies to Texas A & M senior Von Miller.

DT - Ndamukong Suh, Nebraska; Terrence Cody, Alabama; Brian Price, UCLA - Suh might have been the most dominating player in the NCAA, Cody anchored the NCAA's championship defense; Price had 22 1/2 sacks.

OLB - Sean Weatherspoon, Missouri; Eric Norwood, South Carolina - Norwood is a beast, while Weatherspoon just makes tackles. I have no reason whatsoever to change my preseason picks!

ILB - Rolando McClaim, Alabama; Greg Jones, Michigan State - If I have to justify McClain, you have not been watching college football this year. Jones had 153 tackles this season, good for fourth best in the country.

CB - Joe Haden, Florida; Javier Arenas, Alabama - Haden is the best cover corner in college, and Arenas, well, he just makes plays.

S - Eric Berry, Tennessee; DeAndre McDaniel, Clemson; Earl Thomas, Texas - Again, I do not have to justify Berry, and I shouldn't have to justify Thoimas. McDaniel, like Thomas, had 8 interceptions.

Special Teams

K - Leigh Tiffin, Alabama - Championship kicker. Can't really find a better criteria than that.

P - Drew Butler, Georgia; Zoltan Mesko, Michigan - Butler, because he averaged 48.8 yards per punt. Mesko, because you don't mess with the Zohan.

R - C.J. Spiller, Clemson - He had to be on any All-American team, and by placing him as my returner, I could choose an additional running back.