Joe Burrow, Jonathan Taylor, Chase Young Headline AP Midseason All-America Team
The Associated Press released its midseason All-America team Tuesday, and quarterback Joe Burrow of the No. 2 LSU Tigers headlines the list.
Burrow beat out several close competitors for the top quarterback spot, including Alabama's Tua Tagovailoa and Oklahoma's Jalen Hurts, which suggests Burrow could be the front-runner for the Heisman Trophy.
Here is a look at the full first and second teams, courtesy of the Associated Press:
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
FIRST TEAM
OFFENSE
Quarterback — Joe Burrow, senior, LSU.
Running backs — Jonathan Taylor, junior, Wisconsin; Chuba Hubbard, junior, Oklahoma State.
Tackles — Andrew Thomas, junior, Georgia; Penei Sewell, sophomore, Oregon.
Guards — John Simpson, senior, Clemson; Shane Lemieux, senior, Oregon.
Center — Tyler Biadasz, junior, Wisconsin.
Tight end — Jacob Breeland, senior, Oregon.
Receivers — CeeDee Lamb, junior, Oklahoma; DeVonta Smith, junior, Alabama.
All-purpose player — Lynn Bowden Jr., junior, Kentucky.
Kicker — Peyton Henry, sophomore, Washington.
DEFENSE
Ends — Chase Young, junior, Ohio State; James Lynch, junior, Baylor.
Tackles — Derrick Brown, senior, Auburn; Javon Kinlaw, senior, South Carolina.
Linebackers — Evan Weaver, senior, California; Isaiah Simmons, junior, Clemson; Zack Baun, senior, Wisconsin.
Cornerbacks — Derek Stingley, freshman, LSU; Jeff Okudah, junior, Ohio State.
Safeties — Grant Delpit, junior, LSU; Douglas Coleman III, senior, Texas Tech.
Punter — Braden Mann, senior, Texas A&M.
SECOND TEAM
OFFENSE
Quarterback — Tua Tagovailoa, junior, Alabama
Running backs — J.K.Dobbins, junior, Ohio State; Kenneth Gainwell, freshman, Memphis.
Tackles — Jedrick Wills, Jr., junior, Alabama; Trey Adams, senior, Washington.
Guards — Wyatt Davis, sophomore, Ohio State; Tommy Kraemer, senior, Notre Dame.
Center — Matt Hennessy, junior, Temple.
Tight end — Albert Okwuegbunam, junior, Missouri.
Receivers — Jerry Jeudy, junior, Alabama; Omar Bayless, senior, Arkansas State.
All-purpose player — Demetric Felton, junior, UCLA.
Kicker — Rodrigo Blankenship, senior, Georgia.
DEFENSE
Ends — Jonathan Greenard, senior, Florida; Yetur Gross-Matos, junior, Penn State.
Tackles — Leki Fotu, senior, Utah; Bravvion Roy, senior, Baylor.
Linebackers — Curtis Weaver, junior, Boise State; Joe Bachie, senior, Michigan State; Kenneth Murray, junior, Oklahoma.
Cornerbacks — Bryce Hall, senior, Virginia; CJ Henderson, junior, Florida.
Safeties — J.R. Reed, senior, Georgia; Jordan Fuller, senior, Ohio State.
Punter — Max Duffy, sophomore, Kentucky.
Aside from Burrow, other key players on the first team include a fellow Heisman Trophy candidate in Wisconsin running back Jonathan Taylor and Ohio State defensive end Chase Young, who is second in the nation in sacks with 8.5 and is perhaps the top defensive player in the country regardless of position.
LSU, Wisconsin and Oregon each have three players on the midseason All-America First Team, which is tied for the most of any school.
Few knew what to expect out of Burrow entering the 2019 season. He showed flashes in 2018 but finished with just 2,894 yards, 16 touchdowns and five interceptions on 57.8 percent passing.
The LSU offense underwent a makeover into a spread attack, however, and it has worked wonders for Burrow. Through six games, Burrow is a perfect 6-0, and he is completing a remarkable 79.6 percent of his passes for 2,157 yards, 25 touchdowns and three picks.
Burrow is second in the nation in passing yardage behind Washington State's Anthony Gordon, and he is tied for second with Gordon in touchdown passes behind only Tagovailoa. Burrow's completion percentage of 79.6 percent is on pace to set a new single-season FBS record as well.
If any non-quarterback is going to have a shot at winning the Heisman Trophy, Taylor is the likeliest candidate. His No. 6 Badgers are off to a 6-0 start, he is third in the nation in rushing yardage with 825 yards, and he is first in total touchdowns with 18, including 14 rushing.
Taylor is joined in the first-team backfield by Oklahoma's Chuba Hubbard, who has enjoyed a breakthrough season, as he ranks first nationally with 1,094 rushing yards and has also rushed for 13 scores.
Defensively, Young is undoubtedly the biggest name due to his pass-rushing excellence for the undefeated No. 4 Buckeyes.
Young is the front-runner to win the Bronko Nagurski Award as the top defensive player in the nation, and he may also go No. 1 overall in the 2020 NFL draft.
Of the 25 players named to the AP midseason All-America First Team, 12 of them come from one of the top six teams in the AP Top 25 Poll (Alabama, LSU, Clemson, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Wisconsin), all of whom are undefeated.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
