21 College Football Players Replacing AP All-Americans in 2014
Get ready for a facelift, America.
Of the 24 players on the 2013 AP All-American First Team, 21 either consumed their eligibility or declared for the 2014 NFL draft. The returnees include just one offensive player, one defensive player, one special teamer and two Florida State Seminoles.
By contrast, eight first-team All-Americans returned to college football after 2012, including three (Ka'Deem Carey, Will Sutton and C.J. Mosley) who repeated this past season and two more (Johnny Manziel and Taylor Lewan) who came close by making the second team.
This next season will not enjoy such continuity. Everywhere besides Tallahassee, Fla., and Oxford, Miss., teams that had All-American players in 2013 will have to replace them in 2014. The landscape of college football will look markedly different at the top.
Though with the start of the CFP era, I guess that's only fitting.
Quarterback
1 of 9
AP All-American: Jordan Lynch (NIU) Replacement: Drew Hare/Matt McIntosh
Hare and McIntosh went back and forth as Lynch's backup this past season, and it's unclear who will replace the NIU legend under center next year. McIntosh has had one extra year learning the system, but Hare appears to be slightly more talented. Three-star freshman Landon Root should also get a crack, though he doesn't have Hare or McIntosh's mobility.
Note: Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston will be back at Florida State next season.
Running Backs
2 of 9
AP All-American: Andre Williams (BC) Replacement: Jonathan Hilliman
Hilliman will be a true freshman next season, but he has the size (6'1'', 210 lbs), pedigree and opportunity to become a quick feature back in Steve Addazio's offense. More than just that, he has the opportunity to replace departed Williams, since Boston College has almost no depth in the backfield.
AP All-American: Ka'Deem Carey (ARIZ) Replacement: Pierre Cormier
Carey teased Arizona, taking his sweet time with his NFL decision before ultimately deciding to declare. That might be a problem as the situation behind him is murky. Backup Daniel Jenkins was a senior this season, and sophomore Jared Baker just tore his ACL. Look for Cormier, a shifty 4-star recruit in the class of 2013, to get a real crack at claiming this position.
Wide Receivers
3 of 9
AP All-American: Brandin Cooks (ORST) Replacement: Victor Bolden
Oregon State brings back a couple of other quality receivers, most notably 6'3'' junior Richard Mullaney, who caught 52 passes for 788 yards this season. But Bolden, a 5'9'' sophomore, is the most well-equipped to play the same, shifty role as Cooks. Bolden came on toward the end of his true freshman year in 2013, and he scored a touchdown (on the ground) against Oregon in the "Civil War."
AP All-American: Mike Evans (TA&M) Replacement: Ricky Seals-Jones
Seals-Jones was one of the most eagerly anticipated freshmen in the country last year, and he started with a bang in the season opener against Rice, catching a 71-yard touchdown pass from Matt Joeckel. A knee injury derailed his season, but the 6'5'' receiver was able to take a medical redshirt after surgery. Athletically, Seals-Jones is every bit as special as Evans...which is saying something.
Tight End
4 of 9
AP All-American: Jace Amaro (TTU) Replacement: Gary Moore
Amaro leaves Lubbock without a firm successor in place. However, the position he occupied—big, physical, athletic downfield target—is one of the lynchpins of Kliff Kingsbury's offense, which used Mike Evans in a similar role at Texas A&M.
Moore is no safe bet to fill that void, having been moved to defensive end during his redshirt freshman season in 2013. But he was recruited as a receiver out of high school, and the weight he's added during the position change, per Chris Level of Red Raider Sports, actually gives Moore an ideal frame (6'5'', 240 lbs) to play tight end.
Look for him to get a crack.
Offensive Line
5 of 9
AP All-American: Jake Matthews (TA&M) Replacement: Cedric Ogbuehi
For the second consecutive season, Texas A&M loses a left tackle who's projected to be drafted top-five. And for the second consecutive season, it simply moves another first-round prospect over from right tackle to replace him. Ogbuehi is just as qualified to replace Matthews as Matthews was to replace Luke Joeckel.
AP All-American: Cyrus Kouandjio (ALA) Replacement: Grant Hill
Nick Saban didn't burn Hill's redshirt for no reason. He was ready to play. Though it might have seemed a long shot before the year, Hill emerged as one of the Tide's best offensive linemen in 2013 and now stands a realistic chance of replacing Kouandjio. He's young, but his upside is enormous.
AP All-American: Cyril Richardson (BAY) Replacement: LaQuan McGowan
Richardson leaves big shoes to fill, but McGowan is a man big enough to fill them—and then some. The rising redshirt junior is 6'6'', 385 pounds and can bench-press 475 pounds. If properly coached, he could turn into a wrecking ball up front.
AP All-American: David Yankey (STAN) Replacement: Josh Garnett
Garnett played well in the "Ogre" position this past season, appearing in all 13 games and making a spot start in Yankey's absence against Washington State. He has been groomed as Yankey's natural successor at left guard, and there's no reason to expect a huge drop-off.
AP All-American: Bryan Stork (FSU) Replacement: Austin Barron
Barron will be a senior next season, and he has enough experience to keep some continuity along the FSU offensive line. He's made four starts in his career—three as a freshman and one as a sophomore—and he learned by backing up Stork in 2013. He'll do fine in front of Jameis Winston next year.
Defensive Line
6 of 9
AP All-American: Michael Sam (MIZZ) Replacement: Markus Golden
It's "next man up" for Missouri, which loses Sam and Kony Ealy from last year's dominant foursome of pass-rushers. Golden and Shane Ray will be counted on to step up and match their production, which both are very capable of doing, having combined for 11 sacks and 21 tackles for loss last year. The real question is who replaces them in the rotation.
AP All-American: Jackson Jeffcoat (TEX) Replacement: Shiro Davis
Jeffcoat is gone, leaving big cleats to fill opposite Cedric Reed on the defensive line. Davis doesn't fit the size-strength profile of Jeffcoat, but he's a savvy rusher with speed to come off the edge, having been recruited as an outside linebacker before converting to end. He should make Reed a nice complement.
AP All-American: Aaron Donald (PITT) Replacement: Darryl Render
Pittsburgh loses a lot of beef up the middle. Donald, the best defender in college football last season, and 300-pounder Tyrone Ezell were both seniors. Render has a similar body to Donald and stands a little taller at 6'2''. Hopefully he took some notes during practice.
AP All-American: Will Sutton (ASU) Replacement: Jaxon Hood
Arizona State loses its top five tackle-for-loss producers next season, including Sutton and early draft entrant Carl Bradford. Hood has the talent to replace Sutton up the middle, having earned some Freshman All-American buzz back in 2012, but he was banged up and far less productive as a sophomore.
Linebackers
7 of 9AP All-American: Anthony Barr (UCLA) Replacement: Kenny Orjioke
Orjioke showed flashes of being the next Barr in 2013 or at least of being the next best thing. Especially down the stretch, when he recorded tackles for loss against Arizona State and Virginia Tech, the 6'4'' edge-rusher looked like a future starter. Lining up next to Eric Kendricks and (potentially) Myles Jack next season, he'll have no excuse not to perform.
AP All-American: C.J. Mosley (ALA) Replacement: Reuben Foster
As a sophomore, Foster will compete with fellow blue-chip prospect Reggie Ragland to replace Mosley at the "WILL." Though both were recruited as inside linebackers—and both were rated as their class' top player at that position—the return of Trey DePriest will force one to make a shift. Despite being one year younger, Foster is the better overall player and should be harder to keep off the field.
AP All-American: Ryan Shazier (OSU) Replacement: Mike Mitchell
Mitchell redshirted in 2013 while fellow freshman Trey Johnson saw the field six times and backed up Shazier. But that doesn't make him a worse bet to start. Johnson was initially recruited as an inside linebacker, while Mitchell—who was a higher-regarded prospect—fits the ideal mold of a rusher on the outside.
Secondary
8 of 9
AP All-American: Darqueze Dennard (MSU) Replacement: Ezra Robinson
Trae Waynes will replace Dennard as the Spartans' shutdown corner—and could very well become an All-Big Ten player in the process—but Robinson is tasked with taking Dennard's spot in the lineup. MSU's "No Fly Zone" requires lockdown coverage on both sides of the field, so either Robinson or other candidates like Arjen Colquhoun and Darian Hicks must step up.
AP All-American: LaMarcus Joyner (FSU) Replacement: Nick Waisome
Florida State was loaded at cornerback in 2013—so loaded that Jalen Ramsey was moved to safety and Waisome, who started 14 games in 2012, was relegated to a backup role. Waisome is the closest thing it will have to Joyner next season, though, and he might be asked to make similar plays in the slot while P.J. Williams and Ronald Darby patrol the outside
AP All-American: Deone Bucannon (WSU) Replacement: Isaac Dotson
There's no way to replace what Bucannon did for this defense. He had more tackles than any Pac-12 defensive back and willed the Cougars to a bowl game. Dotson, however, learned the position quickly as a true freshman last season, especially for someone who was recruited to play quarterback. Knowing how to command a huddle might help him fill the leadership void.
Note: Ole Miss safety Cody Prewitt will be back in Oxford for his senior season.
Specialists
9 of 9AP All-American: Tom Hornsey (MEM) Replacement: Chase Carpenter
Carpenter is a former JUCO transfer who backed up Hornsey in 2013. He's never before punted in an FBS game, but he did have a successful run at Northwest Mississippi Community College.
Note: Florida State kicker Roberto Aguayo will be back in Tallahassee next season.
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