Are You Ready For Some Football?!!!

It is that time of the year again, time for the start of college football.  And this time, WE START A WEEK EARLY!  Yes, a week 0 matchup between the Miami Hurricanes and Florida Gators live from the football mecca that is - Camping World Stadium?  Well, I should be there with tons of my peeps, but not going to be able to make it this year.  Still will not put a damper on the start of my season.  What would the start of college football be without a preseason All-American list? Once again, I am here to give you my preseason All-Americans. As usual, there will be more than 11 on each side, to account for the different types of formations (spread, three receiver set, 4-3, 3-4, etc). I explain some of my picks, while others I do not. Why? Because I can.  (Starters in capitals).

Offense

QB - TREVOR LAWRENCE, Clemson; Tua Tagavailoa, Alabama; Jalen Hurts, Oklahoma - This is mostly easy when the two of the three best quarterbacks from last year return to college.  Hurts makes it as the last two Heisman Trophy winners have been Oklahoma quarterbacks that transferred from elsewhere, plus, he has won a title already.  The highest rated pro-quarterback, Justin Herbert, doesn't make the cut.

RB - JONATHAN TAYLOR, Wisconsin; D'ANDRE SWIFT, Georgia; Travis Etienne, Clemson; A.J. Dillon, Boston College; Zack Moss, Utah - Taylor - with Lawrence - might be the Heisman favorite heading into the season.  It is Swift's turn to run behind the behemoths at Georgia.  Most pundits have Etienne as first team.  If you have not seen Dillon or Moss run - DO IT.

WR - JERRY JEUDY, Alabama; LAVISKA SHENAULT, JR., Colorado; Tylan Wallace, Oklahoma State, Alabama; Justyn Ross, Clemson; CeeDee Lamb, Oklahoma - Jeudy is the reigning Biletnikoff award winner, and Shenault is right there with him in terms of talent.  So much speed at this position.  So much speed.

TE - ALBERT OGWUEGBUNAM, Missouri; Jared Pickney, Vanderbilt - These two will prove invaluable to their respective quarterbacks in the defensive-speed-laden SEC. 

OL - ANDREW THOMSAS, Georgia (T); WALKER LITTLE, Stanford (T); SHANE LEMIUEX, Oregon (G);  SOLOMON KINDLEY, Georgia (G); TYLER BIADASZ, Wisconson; Mekhi Becton, Louisville (T); Ben Bredesen, Michigan (G): Nick Harris, Washington (C) - Two Georgia stalwarts start for this line which is sure to open huge holes for the running backs as well as keep the QBs protected.  Thomas might be the best player in college football.

Defense

DE - A.J. EPENESA, Iowa; CHASE YOUNG, Ohio State; Raekwon Davis, Alabama; Jonathan Garvin, Miami - Both starters had 10 1/2 sacks last year. The Chef returns after recording 24 solo tackles from the defensive line last year, and Garvin is poised for a monster breakout season - I predict double digit sacks.

DT - DERRICK BROWN, Auburn; KENNY WILLEKES, Michigan State; Leki Fotu, Utah - Brown can be as dominant as his position as anyone can be at theirs in college.  Fotu is 6'5 335 lbs, and is immovable.

LB - DYLAN MOSES, Alabama; PADDY FISHER, Northwestern; ISAIAH SIMMONS, Clemson; K'Lavon Chiasson, LSU; Shaquille Quarterman, Miami - This quintet will likely total about 14,000 tackles this year.

CB - C.J. Henderson, Florida; BRYCE HALL, Virginia; Andre Cisco, Syracuse - With the injuries at the other corner in Florida, Henderson may not even be tested all year.  Cisco finished last season with 10 interceptions, including 3 in the last 4 games.  Hall can cover AND tackle.

S - GRANT DELPIT, Louisiana State; XAVIER MCKINNEY, Alabama; Alohi Gilman, Notre Dame - Delpit continues LSU's run DBU (despite UF's protestations)  McKinney steps into a long-list of talented Alabama safeties.

Special Teams

K - ANDRE SZMYT, Syracuse; Rodrigo Blankenship, Georgia - Szmyt, despite needing to buy a vowel, is the reigning Groza award winner, and could become only the second two time winner behind Sebastian Janikowski.  Blankenship is added because he is good, and looks funny kicking in the glasses.

P - BRADEN MANN, Texas A & M - The returning Ray Guy award winner is the best punter in the country.

RETURNER - ISAIAH WRIGHT, Temple; Rondale Moore, Purdue - Wright returned 5 kicks for touchdowns in his career.  Moore can do everything, as highlighted by his 252 total yards in Purdue's upset of Ohio State last year.

Everybody's All-American

Ok, so maybe not everybody's All-American, but it is my list. So I am going to do this my way. Instead of just the best at each position, I will assemble a team, NFL-style 48 man roster. Starters in all caps, with explanations for those that I think need it. I am also going to be conscious about running this like a college (think "keeper league"), so that some of the backups may not be the second or third best at their position, but are freshmen and/or sophomores that will be returning for a couple of years. Plus, I can only base this upon what I have seen this year. Now granted, several bars and I become very good friends during football season, but I do see some teams more than others. You don't like it? So what, I don't care.


QB - COLT MCCOY - Texas, Sam Bradford - Oklahoma, Robert Griffin - Baylor

Yes I went with three Big 12 South QBs, but who can blame me as the Big 12 South ruled quarterback play this year. Did you want me to select David Johnson from Tulsa? Griffin gets the third nod over Tebow and Harrell, or even Nate Davis b/c he is a true freshman. An exceptional athlete (third in the 400 meter hurdles as a freshman - he enrolled a semester early - at the NCAA championships). He is going to be amazing. Just the player the All-American teams need in the pipeline.

RB - KNOWSHON MORENO - Georgia, Shonn Greene - Iowa, Donald Brown - Connecticut, Jacquizz Rodgers - Oregon State, Johnathan Dwyer - Georgia Tech, Percy Harvin - Florida

The first three should be self-explanatory. For Rodgers, he toasted the USC defense and is only a freshman. Harvin? Well, he deserves his spot on the team, and although technically classified as a WR, he has more rushing than receiving touchdowns, and is very effective carrying the ball. Besides, I could have easily had just named him a WR, and selected only 4 running backs. By the way, since this is college, no true fullback.

WR - MICHAEL CRABTREE - Texas Tech, DEZ BRYANT - Oklahoma State, A.J. GREEN - Georgia, Austin Collie - Brigham Young, Jeremy Maclin - Missouri, Darius Heyward-Bey - Maryland

Yes, Big 12 laden again, but so was most of the passing yards this season. A.J. Green may be a controversial pick, but I liked what I saw out of him a little more than Julio Jones. Maclin can double as the kick returner.

TE - JERMAINE GRESHEM - Oklahoma, Aaron Hernandez - Florida

Every time I turned around Hernandez was absolutely wide open.

OL - MICHAEL OHER - Mississippi, ANDRE SMITH - Alabama, DUKE ROBINSON - Oklahoma, JEREMY PERRY - Oregon State, CEDRIC DOKERY - Texas, Antoine Caldwell - Alabama, Phil Trautwein - Florida, A. Q. Shipley - Penn State

Who the hell knows? I wanted to pick a Pouncey from Florida, but I can't tell the difference between them anyway.

K - LOUIE SAKODA - Utah

I just couldn't pull the trigger on selecting the kid from Florida State (Gano). Besides, Sakoda can also punt if I want to later free up a roster spot.

DL - BRIAN ORAKPO - Texas, GEORGE SELVIE - South Florida, GREG HARDY - Mississippi, FILI MAOLA - USC, Myron Pryor - Kentucky, Austin English - Oklahoma, Everette Brown -Florida State, B.J. Raji - Boston College, Mitch King - Iowa

Yes, this is the beginning of lots of USC Defenders being selected.

LB - REY MAUALUGA - USC, BRANDON SPIKES - Florida, BRIAN CUSHING - USC, Mark Herzlich - Boston College, James Laurinaitis - Ohio State, Sean Spence - Miami

Spence is going to be a beast, plus, he is my one homer pick.

DB - ALPHONSO SMITH - Wake Forest, MALCOLM JENKINS - Ohio State, ERIC BERRY - Tennessee, TAYLOR MAYS - USC, Rashad Johnson - Alabama, William Moore - Missouri, Vontae Davis - Illinois

P - Let's just keep Sakoda

Any thoughts on your All-America team (not related to Tim Tebow)? Please place them in the comments.