2017 CBS Sports Preseason All-America team: College football’s best and brightest – CBSSports.com

Summer is coming to an end, and with the college football season is right around the corner, it is the perfect time to announce the 2017 CBS Sports Preseason All-America Team as voted on by our panel of college football analysts and insiders.

There were six unanimous selections — one on offense and five on defense — with a whopping 21 different programs represented among the 27 first-team selections.
Clemson Tigers
,
Florida State Seminoles
, LSU,
Penn State Nittany Lions
, Pitt and
Southern California Trojans
were the only schools to have two first-teamers. 

Among conferences, the ACC was on top with seven first-team picks, followed by the SEC (six), Pac-12 (four), Big Ten and Big 12 (three each). There were two Group of Five selections and a pick from
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
. Wideout
Quadree Henderson
of
Pittsburgh Panthers
made the first team as a kick returner and all-purpose player, while
Texas A&M Aggies
wide receiver and return specialist
Christian Kirk
also makes multiple appearances.

Nine members of the 2016 CBS Sports All-America teams are among our preseason picks.

2017-allamerican-preseason.jpg



Graphic illustration by Michael Meredith

2017 CBS Sports Preseason All-America First Team

*  indicates a unanimous first-team selection

Offense

QB


Sam Darnold

USC

Redshirt sophomore

RB


Saquon Barkley

Penn State

Junior

RB


Derrius Guice


LSU Tigers

Junior

WR


James Washington
*


Oklahoma State Cowboys

Senior

WR


Courtland Sutton


Southern Methodist Mustangs

Redshirt junior

TE


Mike Gesicki

Penn State

Senior

C


Frank Ragnow


Arkansas Razorbacks

Senior

OL


Orlando Brown


Oklahoma Sooners

Redshirt junior

OL


Connor Williams


Texas Longhorns

Junior

OL


Mike McGlinchey

Notre Dame

Graduate

OL

Cody O’Connell


Washington State Cougars

Redshirt senior

Defense

DL

Ed Oliver*


Houston Cougars

Sophomore

DL


Christian Wilkins

Clemson

Junior

DL


Dexter Lawrence

Clemson

Sophomore

DL


Harold Landry


Boston College Eagles

Senior

LB

Arden Key*

LSU

Junior

LB


Cameron Smith

USC

Junior

LB


Josey Jewell


Iowa Hawkeyes

Redshirt senior

CB

Tarvarus McFadden*

Florida State

Junior

CB


Jaire Alexander


Louisville Cardinals

Junior

S

Derwin James*

Florida State

Redshirt sophomore

S

Minkah Fitzpatrick*


Alabama Crimson Tide

Junior

Special teams

K


Daniel Carlson


Auburn Tigers

Redshirt senior

P


Mitch Wishnowsky


Utah Utes

Sophomore

KR

Quadree Henderson

Pittsburgh

Junior

PR

Christian Kirk

Texas A&M

Junior

AP

Quadree Henderson

Pittsburgh

Junior

2017 CBS Sports Preseason All-America Second Team

Offense

QB


Lamar Jackson

Louisville

Junior

RB


Royce Freeman


Oregon Ducks

Senior

RB


Justin Jackson


Northwestern Wildcats

Senior

WR

Christian Kirk

Texas A&M

Junior

WR


Calvin Ridley

Alabama

Junior

TE


Troy Fumagalli


Wisconsin Badgers

Redshirt senior

C


Billy Price


Ohio State Buckeyes

Senior

OL


Quenton Nelson

Notre Dame

Senior

OL


Jonah Williams

Alabama

Sophomore

OL


Martez Ivey


Florida Gators

Junior

OL


Braden Smith

Auburn

Senior

Defense

DL


Bradley Chubb


NC State Wolfpack

Senior

DL


Tyquan Lewis

Ohio State

Senior

DL

Da’Ron Payne

Alabama

Junior

DL


Vita Vea


Washington Huskies

Redshirt junior

LB


Azeem Victor

Washington

Redshirt senior

LB


Tegray Scales


Indiana Hoosiers

Senior

LB


Tremaine Edmunds


Virginia Tech Hokies

Junior

CB


Duke Dawson

Florida

Senior

CB


Jordan Thomas

Oklahoma

Senior

S

Quin Blanding


Virginia Cavaliers

Senior

S


Godwin Igwebuike

Northwestern

Redshirt senior

Special teams

K


Eddy Pineiro

Florida

Redshirt sophomore

P


JK Scott

Alabama

Senior

KR

Rashaad Penny


San Diego State Aztecs

Senior

PR


Dante Pettis

Washington

Senior

AP

Christian Kirk

Texas A&M

Junior