Updated College Football All-American Team Projections for 2014
Four weeks into the college football season, we have a four-weeks better idea about whom the best players in the country are at each position.
Much of this aligns with what we thought before the season, but some of it does not. Certain players have broken out past the point anyone expected (see: Kenny Hill and Kevin White), while others have regressed inexplicably (see: Cameron Erving).
This updated All-America projection takes everything that's happened this season into account, but it also projects forward for how teams and players will perform the next three months. It is not what the All-America team would look like after four weeks of the season.
Instead, it is based on a combination of what we have seen thus far and what we knew before the season. It's a projection of how the All-America team will look come December, which is slightly but not massively different than what we thought four weeks ago.
Sound off below, and let us know what you think.
Quarterback
1 of 10
Marcus Mariota, Oregon
Marcus Mariota has been better than advertised this season, which is crazy since he was advertised as the best player in the country.
Despite an offensive line that is falling apart at the seams, Mariota has guided Oregon to a 4-0 record, overcoming scares against Michigan State and Washington State to get there.
Especially against the Spartans—a team that might not lose another game this season—Mariota was sublime, erasing a nine-point deficit in the third quarter, leading the Ducks to a 19-point win and logging a few "Heisman moments" to boot.
Through four weeks, Mariota leads the nation with a QB rating of 217.96, more than 30 points higher than Jameis Winston's nation-leading QB rating last season. He's completed 74 percent of his passes for 1,135 yards (11.8 yards per attempt), 13 touchdowns and no interceptions, and he's rushed for 214 yards and three scores.
He might have been the easiest call on this list.
Second Team
- Bryce Petty, Baylor
Third Team
- Kenny Hill, Texas A&M
Running Back
2 of 10
Ameer Abdullah, Nebraska
Ameer Abdullah has rushed for 229 yards or more in half of Nebraska's games this year, most recently in a 41-31 win over Miami.
One week prior, he went for 110 yards on 19 carries in a blowout win over Fresno State, and the week before that, he impossibly took a last-minute screen pass 58 yards for the game-winning score against McNeese State.
Nebraska's passing game has not found a fourth option after Kenny Bell, Jordan Westerkamp and Abdullah out of the backfield, which hasn't cost the Huskers quite yet but will be tough to overcome in Big Ten play, when the level of defensive competition goes up.
In turn, Abdullah might be looking at a Le'Veon Bell-type workload, which would make him a decent bet to lead the country in rushing.
Todd Gurley, Georgia
Todd Gurley is re-redefining the running back position, bucking the trend whereby rushers have become less-valued commodities.
"I haven't seen a back like Gurley in a long time," an NFL personnel executive told NFL.com. "He has such an impressive blend of speed and power. He competed in the 60-meter hurdles at Georgia and I think that has helped him with his leg drive."
Gurley is 6'1", 226 pounds and could easily be classified as a "power back" for the way he sheds tackles and runs downhill. And yet, he is averaging 9.8 yards per carry through four weeks, a number that might actually be deflated thanks to games against Clemson and South Carolina (as opposed to cupcakes).
Only six of his 41 carries this season have come against teams that didn't rank inside the preseason Top 16.
And he doesn't show signs of slowing up.
Second Team
- Alex Collins, Arkansas
- Melvin Gordon, Wisconsin
Third Team
- Tevin Coleman, Indiana
- James Conner, Pittsburgh
Wide Receiver
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Amari Cooper, Alabama
Amari Cooper is following a familiar pattern.
He broke out as a freshman before slumping as a sophomore and re-emerging as a junior, the same path former Clemson receiver Sammy Watkins and former Alabama receiver Julio Jones took in college. (Both of those players, by the way, became top-six NFL draft picks.)
The only difference is that Cooper has been better. Significantly better. Through four weeks, he leads the nation in receptions (43) and yards (655) and is tied for third in touchdowns (5). At his current pace, he would finish the regular season with 129 catches, 1,956 yards and 15 trips to the end zone.
Those first two numbers would both be SEC records.
Kevin White, West Virginia
Kevin White held his own on the same field as Cooper in Week 1, when West Virginia lost a tighter-than-expected game to Alabama.
In fact, his performance was a big reason that game was so tight in the first place. He caught nine passes for 143 yards against the young (but talented) Crimson Tide secondary, and he places second behind Cooper in both of those categories for the season.
White's numbers are extra impressive when you factor in the schedule he's played. In three games against power-conference teams—Alabama, Maryland and Oklahoma (combined record: 11-1)—he has averaged 11 catches, 177 yards and one touchdown. Combined, those defenses have allowed opposing teams to average 16 catches, 172 yards and 0.6 touchdowns this season*.
So…yeah. He's been doing pretty well.
Second Team
- Rashad Greene, Florida State
- D'haquille Williams, Auburn
Third Team
- Tyler Lockett, Kansas State
- Jaelen Strong, Arizona State
*Not counting West Virginia, of course.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Tight End
4 of 10
Nick O'Leary, Florida State
Nick O'Leary was underutilized in the season opener against Oklahoma State, but he's since caught 11 passes for 128 yards and a touchdown in games against The Citadel and Clemson.
Florida State has had a tougher time than expected replacing Kelvin Benjamin on the outside, Kenny Shaw in the slot and Devonta Freeman out of the backfield, which has left Rashad Greene and O'Leary as the only two reliable targets in the passing game.
Despite how foolish Jameis Winston has been off the playing field, the Seminoles quarterback has one of the highest football IQs in the country. He has an intimate knowledge of his teammates, and he isn't afraid to rely on just one or two guys if the others cannot be trusted.
In what appears to be a down year for college tight ends, no one at the position matches O'Leary's blend of talent and opportunity.
Second Team
- Jesse James, Penn State
Third Team
- Evan Engram, Ole Miss
All-Purpose
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QB Taysom Hill, BYU
Should a quarterback be eligible for the all-purpose player slot?
That is a difficult question to answer.
"All-purpose" is a nebulous word with no fixed definition, sort of like the word "comeback" in a sport's "Comeback Player of the Year" award. This spot was conceived, I think, to credit players who contribute in multiple phases (e.g., offense and special teams). But after Northern Illinois quarterback Jordan Lynch took the all-purpose slot on last year's All-America team, the game done changed.
Taysom Hill and Lynch bear a lot of similarity. They are both dual-threat quarterbacks who run nearly as often as they pass. They both play (or played) for teams that are competing for a spot in an "access bowl." And they both are (or were) periphery Heisman candidates because of it.
Through four weeks, Hill has 876 passing yards, 428 rushing yards and 13 combined touchdowns. He has led the Cougars to a 4-0 record with a road win over Texas and a home win over Virginia.
At this rate, it will be hard to keep him off the All-America team.
Second Team
- WR Ty Montgomery, Stanford
Third Team
- RB/WR Tyreek Hill, Oklahoma State
Offensive Line
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OT Cedric Ogbuehi, Texas A&M
Another year, another Texas A&M tackle on the All-America team.
The Aggies haven't played anyone of note since the South Carolina game, but Cedric Ogbuehi was impressive enough against the Gamecocks to warrant not losing his spot. He was projected as an All-America candidate and top-10 NFL draft pick (if not better) before the season, and he's done nothing to change that assessment.
OG A.J. Cann, South Carolina
Like Ogbuehi, South Carolina guard A.J. Cann has done nothing to belie his preseason All-America status. Even in a loss to Ogbuehi's Aggies, he stood out as one of the three best players on the field. According to Hank Jones of Big Cat Country, Cann was the most impressive NFL prospect in the country through two games.
OC Hroniss Grasu, Oregon
This one is projecting a little it. Hroniss Grasu has been the anchor of an injury-ravaged line, and even though he has played well on an individual basis, the players around him have not. If the Ducks turn things around up front, however, we will know who was responsible.
"We're gonna get this film and get better," Grasu said after barely beating Washington State in Week 4, per Molly Blue of The Oregonian. "We're gonna fix those mistakes that we had in the first half."
OG Arie Kouandjio, Alabama
While his brother, Cyrus, struggles to get up to speed as a rookie with the NFL's Buffalo Bills, Arie Kouandjio has been enjoying a fine season in the middle of Alabama's offensive line. He has made marked improvements as a run-blocker, and his experience has kept the unit stable despite the losses around him.
OT Brandon Scherff, Iowa
The only non-SEC inclusion on the first team, Brandon Scherff gets credit for being, in my opinion, the toughest player in America. He injured his knee against Ball State in Week 2, returned to the field to finish the game, had minor surgery the next Monday…then returned to practice Tuesday and played in a game Saturday.
Even on a less-than-100-percent knee, Scherff played well in an upset win against Pittsburgh last Saturday, and in the process he recorded a rare viral highlight for an offensive lineman in blitz pickup.
He is every bit as good as he's been billed.
Second Team
- OT Spencer Drango, Baylor
- OG Josue Matias, Florida State
- OC Reese Dismukes, Auburn
- OG Laken Tomlinson, Duke
- OT Laremy Tunsil, Ole Miss
Third Team
- OT Brey Cook, Arkansas
- OG Tre' Jackson, Florida State
- OC B.J. Finney, Kansas State
- OG Matt Rotheram, Pittsburgh
- OT Rob Havenstein, Wisconsin
Defensive Line
7 of 10
DE Vic Beasley, Clemson
Vic Beasley made Florida State left tackle Cameron Erving—a player who appeared on most preseason All-America teams—look lost in Week 4, using his speed to burst into the backfield for a pair of sacks.
Three games into the season, Beasley has four sacks and five tackles for loss, putting him on pace for 16 and 20 respectively. That would be in the same ballpark as his 13 sacks and 23 tackles for loss in 2013, when he was named a first-team All-American.
The majority of his stats have come against Georgia and Florida State too, so it's also fair to expect he will exceed the numbers he is on pace for. If this is what Beasley can do against top-tier offensive lines, imagine what he has in store for the rest of the ACC.
DT Danny Shelton, Washington
Danny Shelton has been the defensive version of Kevin White: a player we knew would be good but had no idea would be this good.
The massive defensive tackle (6'2", 339 lbs) leads the nation with seven sacks and is tied for first with 9.5 tackles for loss. Those are Aaron Donald-esque numbers: i.e., rare stats for an interior lineman.
By my count, USA Today was the only publication to give Shelton All-America consideration in the preseason, listing him on the second team while others opted for bigger names at better schools.
So far, Shelton has rewarded its confidence.
DT Leonard Williams, USC
Like Scherff along the offensive line, Leonard Williams earns toughness points for his gutty performance at Stanford, when he played through an ankle injury that many thought would sideline him and ended up with 11 tackles and one sack and helped USC spring a road upset.
That sack represents his lone tackle for loss of the season, but assuming his bum ankle doesn't linger, Williams is a safe bet to improve on those numbers during the heart of Pac-12 play.
Bleacher Report's Michael Felder rated Williams the No. 6 overall player in the country last season, when he was only a sophomore. No player who returned in 2014 ranked higher on Felder's list.
DE Randy Gregory, Nebraska
An injury forced Randy Gregory out of the lineup for most of the first two weeks and threatened to oust him from the projected first team.
Last week against Miami, he made a compelling case to stay.
Nebraska's defensive leader had two sacks, two quarterback hurries and a forced fumble in the 41-31 win over the Hurricanes, helping the Huskers survive nonconference play at 4-0 despite a couple of scares.
The former JUCO transfer has impossibly long arms, a good swim move and is equally adept against the run and the pass. Nebraska's suspect defense will need him to play like an All-American every week.
(We all saw what happens when he's absent.)
Second Team
- DE Shilique Calhoun, Michigan State
- DT Malcolm Brown, Texas
- DT Robert Nkemdiche, Ole Miss
- DE Shane Ray, Missouri
Third Team
- DE Shawn Oakman, Baylor
- DT Eddie Goldman, Florida State
- DT Anthony Zettel, Penn State
- DE Preston Smith, Mississippi State
Linebackers
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Myles Jack, UCLA
UCLA has reverted to using Myles Jack as a running back the past two games but only in spots. As long as he's not exceeding 10 carries per game, it should not undermine his defensive performance.
Even if you don't consider him a two-way player, though, Jack is an All-American—and an obvious one at that. There is nothing he can't do from the outside linebacker position: rush the passer, hold the edge, tackle running backs, cover tight ends…you name it.
Jack will get a national platform to showcase himself against Arizona State this Thursday, and he'll be thrust into the middle of the action. Slowing down running back D.J. Foster—who essentially converted from wide receiver this offseason—has proved impossible through four weeks, but Jack is one of the only linebackers in the country fast enough and good enough in coverage to stop him.
A.J. Johnson, Tennessee
A.J. Johnson has lived up to his nickname this season, playing like a "beast" and helping a young Tennessee defense outdo expectations. It's taken only three games for him to stuff the box score with 29 tackles, three tackles for loss, two pass breakups, two QB hurries, one interception, one forced fumble and a blocked kick.
The only thing more impressive than Johnson's production through four weeks has been his leadership. He is the undisputed heart of his unit, and he has the Vols playing with confidence they probably shouldn't have. Even in a 24-point loss at Oklahoma, Tennessee did not back down from a challenge and acted like it belonged.
Also, even though the All-America team is not (and should't be) a career achievement award, it stands to mention that at his current pace, Johnson would finish the regular season with 440 career tackles. According to FBSstatistics.com, no SEC player has exceeded even 408 since former Arkansas linebacker Tony Bua (2000-2003).
Eric Striker, Oklahoma
Oklahoma's defensive front has been the best in college football through four weeks, and Eric Striker has been its best player.
The truest breakout star of last year's Sugar Bowl—sorry, Trevor Knight and Derrick Henry—Striker has been a missile off the edge en route to 23 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, three QB hurries and one pass breakup through four games.
A linebacker in a safety's body (6'0", 221 lbs), Striker does not have a fixed position in a traditional defense. But for Oklahoma's purposes, he doesn't need one. The Sooners' 3-4/3-3-5 scheme is tailored in many ways around Striker, who keys the unit beautifully, as Matt Hinton of Grantland explained last week.
He's also played his two best games of the season against Tennessee and West Virginia, Oklahoma's two best opponents. He is not padding his stats against the cupcakes on his schedule.
He is waiting for the biggest moment.
Second Team
- Leonard Floyd, Georgia
- Denzel Perryman, Miami (Fla.)
- Jaylon Smith, Notre Dame
Third Team
- Stephone Anthony, Clemson
- Eric Kendricks, UCLA
- Shaq Thompson, Washington
Defensive Backs
9 of 10
CB Kendall Fuller, Virginia Tech
Opposing quarterbacks have not learned their lesson, continuing to throw at Kendall Fuller even though it rarely yields success.
The true sophomore leads the nation with nine pass breakups in four games, three more than the next-highest player. He had four against East Carolina and two apiece against Ohio State and Georgia Tech, one of which came with his foot instead of his hand.
Fuller did make a costly mistake against the Yellow Jackets, falling down in coverage on a late 3rd-and-7 that helped Georgia Tech win the game, but that stands out as an exception instead of a rule. Like his brother, Kyle, a rookie first-round pick who leads the NFL with three interceptions, Kendall has had a fine start to 2014.
And there's no reason to think it will stop.
S Landon Collins, Alabama
Blake Sims and Amari Cooper put up all the stats, but Landon Collins might have been the best player on the field in Alabama's rout of Florida last weekend. Pro Football Focus graded the game as part of its college series, and Collins' plus-6.9—highlighted by a plus-5.5 in pass coverage—was the highest of any player.
But that was just par for the course for Collins, who has turned heads since entering the starting lineup toward the start of last season. It took an injury to Vinnie Sunseri to get Collins on the first team, but 'Bama's defense has been consistently better off because of it.
Considering the way Sunseri was playing before he went down—i.e., at an All-America level—that should tell you all you need to know.
S Cody Prewitt, Ole Miss
Ole Miss has only had one chance to prove itself against a decent team this season, but Cody Prewitt made that chance count.
He had eight tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss one interception and one violent (but legal) hit in the Rebels' Week 1 win over Boise State, showing that his All-America season in 2013 was no fluke.
Not much about Prewitt's game is sexy, but he is opportunistic around the ball, tough against the run and rarely gets caught out of position. He's a big reason for Ole Miss' current Top 10 ranking.
CB P.J. Williams, Florida State
P.J. Williams seems to get better each week, which is scary since his starting point was that of an All-ACC performer.
The junior cornerback had two pass breakups apiece against Oklahoma State and Clemson, rarely getting beaten when challenged on an island. Against the Tigers, he also showed great instincts to blow up a throwback screen that was otherwise set up well.
Florida State's offense has more issues than initially realized. Beyond the obvious quarterbacking questions, the offensive line, running backs and wide receivers have all taken a significant step back. If the Seminoles are going to maintain their No. 1 ranking, it will have to be with defense—and specifically with pass defense.
Williams (along with the player listed below) is the key to that.
Second Team
- CB Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, Oregon
- S Sam Carter, TCU
- S Jalen Ramsey, Florida State
- CB Vernon Hargreaves III, Florida
Third Team
- CB Alex Carter, Stanford
- S Anthony Harris, Virginia
- S Karl Joseph, West Virginia
- CB Trae Waynes, Michigan State
Specialists
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K Roberto Aguayo, Florida State
The reigning Lou Groza Award winner has been even better in 2014, knocking in all seven of his kicks through three games. His 50-yarder against Clemson staked Florida State to an early lead, and two of his three makes against Oklahoma State came from 35-plus yards.
P Kyle Christy, Florida
Kyle Christy was Florida's best player against Alabama. (No, seriously.) The senior punter averaged 52.71 yards per kick on seven attempts, pinning Alabama inside its 25-yard line on all seven and inside its 20-yard line thrice. For the season, his unheard-of average of 50.38 yards per punt is No. 1 in the country.
Second Team
- K Ian Frye, Virginia
- P Mike Sadler, Michigan State
Third Team
- K Brad Craddock, Maryland
- P Drew Kaser, Texas A&M
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
