AP preseason All-America team includes 23 players who won't play in fall
Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons and Oregon tackle Penei Sewell are among 11 players selected to The Associated Press preseason All-America first team who are not slated to play this fall.
The team was selected by 47 AP poll voters, who were asked to consider all Division I players — even those who had already opted out of the season or whose teams had postponed football.
The results show just how much star power will be missing from this pandemic-altered college football season. Twelve second-team All-Americans will also not play in the fall, including quarterback Justin Fields from defending Big Ten champion and preseason No. 2 Ohio State.
The Big Ten, Pac-12, Mid-American and Mountain West conferences have decided to try to play football in the second semester. As of now, Fields has given no indication that he won’t be with the Buckeyes if they do. Same goes for Sewell, the Outland Trophy winner and potential top-five NFL draft pick, and Oregon teammate Kayvon Thibodeaux, a sophomore defensive end.
More: Michigan No. 16 in preseason AP college football poll, but it will be short-lived
Parsons is among a handful of stars who have said they are gone for good, opting out of the season to concentrate on preparing for the draft. Along with Parsons, Purdue’s Rondale Moore, selected as an all-purpose player, Miami defensive end Gregory Rousseau and Pittsburgh defensive tackle Jaylen Twyman were first-team All-America opt outs.
The All-Americans who will play this season include Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence, Oklahoma State running back Chuba Hubbard and LSU receiver Ja’Marr Chase.
First team
(x-team not scheduled to play in the fall; y-opted out of season)
OFFENSE
Quarterback: Trevor Lawrence, junior, Clemson
Running backs: Chuba Hubbard, junior, Oklahoma State; Travis Etienne, senior, Clemson
Tackles: x-Penei Sewell, junior, Oregon; Alex Leatherwood, senior, Alabama
Guards: x-Wyatt Davis, junior, Ohio State; Trey Smith, senior, Tennessee
Center: Creed Humphrey, junior, Oklahoma
Tight end: x-Pat Freiermuth, junior, Penn State
Receivers: Ja’Marr Chase, junior, LSU; DeVonta Smith, senior, Alabama
All-purpose player: y-Rondale Moore, junior, Purdue
Kicker: x-Keith Duncan, senior, Iowa
DEFENSE
Ends: x-Kayvon Thibodeaux, sophomore, Oregon; y-Gregory Rousseau, junior, Miami
Tackles: Marvin Wilson, senior, Florida State; y-Jaylen Twyman, junior, Pitt
Linebackers: y-Micah Parsons, junior, Penn State; x-Hamilcar Rashed Jr., senior, Oregon State; Dylan Moses, senior, Alabama
Cornerbacks: Derek Stingley Jr., sophomore, LSU; x-Shaun Wade, junior, Ohio State
Safeties: Richard LeCounte, senior, Georgia; Andre Cisco, junior, Syracuse
Punter: Max Duffy, senior, Kentucky
Second team
OFFENSE
Quarterback: x-Justin Fields, junior, Ohio State
Running backs: Najee Harris, senior, Alabama; Kenneth Gainwell, sophomore, Memphis
Tackles: Samuel Cosmi, junior, Texas; x-Cole Van Lanen, senior, Wisconsin
Guards: x-Nolan Laufenberg, senior, Air Force; x-Alijah Vera-Tucker, junior, Southern California
Center: x-Tyler Linderbaum, junior, Iowa
Tight end: Charlie Kolar, junior, Iowa State
Receivers: Tylan Wallace, senior, Oklahoma State; y-Rashod Bateman, junior, Minnesota
All-purpose player: Jaylen Waddle, junior, Alabama
Kicker: Gabe Brkic, sophomore, Oklahoma
DEFENSE
Ends: Carlos Basham, senior, Wake Forest; Quincy Roche, senior, Miami
Tackles: y-Jay Tufele, junior, Southern California; x-Levi Onwuzurike, senior, Washington
Linebackers: Chazz Surratt senior, North Carolina; Nick Bolton, junior, Missouri; x-Paddy Fisher, senior, Northwestern
Cornerbacks: Patrick Surtain II, junior, Alabama; y-Caleb Farley, junior, Virginia Tech
Safeties: x-Jevon Holland, junior, Oregon; Trevon Moehrig, junior, TCU
Punter: x-Adam Korsak, junior, Rutgers