2011 College Football: Freshman All-American Team Predictions

Sure, we're just a few weeks removed from the 2011 National Championship Game and just a few days past National Signing Day, but that doesn't mean we can't peek into the future. 

Now that we have a better idea about which underclassmen will be heading to the 2011 NFL Draft and where all of the nation's top prospects will be headed, it seems like the perfect time to make some predictions for the 2011 season. 

Here's Bleacher Report's early look at the potential Freshman All-American Team for 2011. 

Head Coach: Will Muschamp, Florida

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GAINESVILLE, FL - DECEMBER 14: Former defensive coordinator for the University of Texas, Will Muschamp speaks to the media after being introduced as the head coach of the University of Florida on December 14, 2010 in Gainesville, Florida. Muschamp is re

The obvious choice for our rookie coach of the year, Will Muschamp comes to Florida with a solid resume'.

Since 2001, he's served as the defensive coordinator for Louisiana State, the Miami Dolphins, Auburn and Texas. 

He knows SEC football, he knows recruiting and he damn sure knows defense. Muschamp is bringing a whole new look to Gainesville on both sides of the ball.

Sure, there are bound to be some growing pains, particularly when you come in as the replacement for Urban Meyer, but Muschamp has the right makeup to get the job done. 

QB: Kiehl Frazier, Auburn

Kiehl Frazier is a dangerous dual-threat quarterback who could run a spread, an option, a pro-style, or pretty much any offense you could dream up.

He throws the deep ball with excellent power and accuracy, and he can really do some damage when he gets loose in open space.

Frazier is a just a straight gamer and will lift his team onto his back and carry them to victory if he has to. With Auburn looking at a quarterback situation that consists of Clint Moseley and Barrett Trotter now that Cam Newton's one-year run is over, Frazier has a legit shot of starting from day one. 

Not that it matters much, but no one has been picked to be the Heisman winner from the 2011 class as much as Frazier has.

RB: Malcolm Brown, Texas

Brown is the premiere rusher of the class and a near-ideal prospect for the position. He's a powerful rusher that will put his shoulder down and punish defenders, wearing them down as the game goes on.

He won't wow you with his speed like some other top-end backs will, but as a downhill rusher he's about as impressive as they come. Brown explodes into defenders, has great vision, subtle but quick movements and breaks tackles at an eye-popping rate.

Like Marcus Lattimore last year, expect Brown to be a starting back right out of the gates and rack up some impressive totals with a solid diet of carries.   

RB: Isaiah Crowell, Georgia

Crowell has great breakaway speed, is very elusive, has top of the line instincts, makes lightning-fast cuts, doesn't hesitate and can break tackles with the best of them.

Crowell has played with a talented stable of rushers his entire high school career behind a very good offensive line. He's never carried the load himself and there are serious questions about his ability to ever be able to.

With Georgia suspending Washaun Ealey indefinitely, the Bulldogs are without their leading rusher from the last two seasons. Couple that with the fact that Mark Richt seemed like a man intent on starting Crowell anyway, and the 5-star back looks like a lock to be one of the major impact freshman in 2011. 

WR: George Farmer, USC

He has the speed to get past pretty much anyone and the size to ward off stronger defenders without much effort.

Farmer has an ideal combination of skills and natural ability, but needs to fine tune his game some.

He'll make the spectacular catch, but then drop an easy one. If he can improve on his consistency though, Farmer has the goods to be a special talent.

This one is a gut call considering USC brought in three of the nation's top receivers to headline it's 2010 recruiting class, but so far only Robert Woods has panned out. With Ronald Johnson on his way out, Farmer will have the chance to compete with Kyle Prater and Markeith Ambles to be the No. 2 receiver.

WR: Jarvis Landry, LSU

Landry makes up for his sub-6' size with solid route-running and great movement in closed spaces, but that doesn't even begin to describe how much of a playmaker he is.

Landry is a sure-handed player that demands the ball on big plays and will quickly develop into a third-down conversion machine. Give him the ball and he'll make something happen.

He's been adamant about his desire to start next season and with LSU looking a little thin at receiver for next season it's not such a stretch. 

WR: Jaxon Shipley, Texas

The younger brother of former Longhorn Jordan Shipley, Jaxton will be following in his brother's footsteps and might prove to be even better.

He's been getting a lot of praise based on his exceptional hands and body control. He runs polished, professional routes and is ready to play immediately. All he really needs to do is bulk up and get stronger so college defenders won't out-muscle him. 

There might be a couple of other receivers with more talent, but Shipley not only looks like a perfect fit for the Longhorns offense, he's entering a roster that's starved for help at the position. 

TE: Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Washington

Seferian-Jenkins presents a near-ideal target to throw to at 6'7" and 245 pounds. Because of his size, strength and athleticism, he is almost always open and rarely has to beat out his defender for the ball.

His route-running is polished and he does a great job of getting off the line of scrimmage fast, generally embarrassing anyone who tries to jam him.

You could make an argument for Nick O'Leary down at Florida State and maybe Ben Koyack at Notre Dame, but neither should have as many opportunities to shine early. Washington got almost nothing out of its tight ends last season and with a talent like Seferian-Jenkins that'll quickly be corrected.  

OT: Brandon Shell, South Carolina

With great size and athleticism, Shell's footwork and body control make him one of the best pass blockers in the entire country. He's shown vast improvement in his technique in the last couple of years, so the signs point toward him continuing to improve going forward. 

He needs to work on his run blocking, particularly when it comes to engaging his opponent all the way through the play. But the tools are all in place. 

South Carolina is losing it's top four offensive tackles from last season. If Shell doesn't crack the starting lineup there's something wrong here. 

OT: Bobby Hart, Florida State

He's got the size, arms, feet and athleticism every offensive line coach in the country is looking for in an elite prospect. Hart's wingspan is massive for his size and his upper-body strength is eye-popping.

As soon as he learns how to be a better pass-blocker, Florida State has something special here. There are very few big men with his level of flexibility and body control and even fewer who can manhandle defenders with such ease.

Passing up the likes of Cyrus Kouandjio and La'El Collins to name a couple was tough, but those are players that just won't get the same opportunity to start in 2011. The Seminoles line struggled in 2010 and Jimbo Fisher will be looking to upgrade immediately. Hart is exactly the type of talent he's been looking for. 

OG: Christian Westerman, Auburn

At 6'5," 285 pounds, Westerman is projected to be a star at either a guard or right tackle at the next level. 

He's a very strong blocker and moves his feet as well as anyone in the country.

Westerman overpowers defenders with quick hits and a very low stance. But the way he's able to move suggest he'd be very successful as a pulling guard. 

Four of Auburn's top offensive guards are gone next season, swinging the door open for Westerman to explode through. It just shows you how lucky the Tigers were to steal Westerman away from Texas. 

OG: Aundrey Walker, USC

At 6'5" and 355pounds, Walker is the biggest prospect in the entire 2011 recruiting class with at least a 3-star rating. He's got 15 pounds on Viliami Moala and over 40 pounds on anyone else. 

He's a truly terrifying sight for his opposition and Rivals' top-rated offensive guard. Walker has the stare down perfected and uses his size and strength to dominate whoever is across the line of scrimmage. 

This one comes down to a couple of factors. First, Walker is ready—now. Secondly, with Butch Lewis gone there's bound to be a competition for one of USC's starting guard spots in the spring. 

C: Brian Bobek, Ohio State

Bobek is the top-rated center of the 2011 class and one of the best overall recruits in the country.

He's got the ideal build of a center and has one of the quickest releases when snapping the ball that you will ever see. He's also very good at recognizing what the defense is doing and calling out adjustments to blocking schemes.

As a blocker, Bobek stays low and keeps his arms extended, driving his defender off the ball and doing an excellent job of creating running room up the middle. He can handle the bigger defensive tackles and does a solid job blocking at the second level.

Ohio State is losing starting center Michael Brewster and his current backup, Corey Linsley, doesn't offer nearly as much potential as Bobek. Expect the 2011 recruiting class's top center to shine as a freshman. 

DE: Jadeveon Clowney

At 6'5," 225 lbs, Clowney is an athletic freak and a playmaker in every sense of the word. He gets into the backfield in a hurry, has great natural pass-rushing instincts and can chase down ball carriers with his tremendous speed.

No matter where the ball goes, or where Clowney lines up, he can make something happen. There's game film of him chasing down wide receivers 20 yards down the field.

The nation's No. 1 recruit has been described as the best prospect in the last decade. Rivals called him the next Julius Peppers. He won't announce his college decision until Monday, but it really doesn't matter where he ends up. Clowney will be an instant star. 

DE: Anthony Chickillo, Miami

Chickillo missed most of the 2009 season with a broken collarbone and fell under the radar after that for nearly a year, but his numbers when he's been healthy were as good as almost anyone's.

He's been described as a film-junkie and reports a 4.2 GPA. That's the type of maturity and level of commitment that coaches love to see. 

Chickillo raised a ton of eyebrows with his play in the Under Armour All-American Game; he was the best defender short of Jadeveon Clowney and Karlos Williams. 

Al Golden is looking for an infusion of young talent in Miami and with a below-average recruiting class, Chickillo is head and shoulders above the rest of the Hurricanes' class. He's got to be considered the frontrunner to replace Allen Bailey next season. 

DT: Viliami Moala, California

The 6'4" and 340 pound defensive tackle is by far the biggest of the elite prospects at his position. Moala can play as a run-stuffing, penetrating defensive tackle or clog up the middle with a constant double-team as a nose tackle. 

Even at his size, Moala is very quick off the ball and can make plays in the backfield and on the edges. That's really the key to his game; he's not just a space eater there to take on blockers.

The only true ready-now nose tackle from the 2011 class, Moala is a lock to replace the departed Derrick Hill as the anchor of Cal's defensive line next year. Either that or the Golden Bears will have to turn to 299 pound junior Aaron Tipoti; a player with a fraction of Moala's ability. 
 

DT: Jordan Phillips, Oklahoma

Phillips is one of three 4-star defensive tackles committed to Oklahoma, so you can bet the competition for playing time will be fierce amongst this group. 

Of the three, Phillips is by far the most athletic though and moves about as well as any defensive tackle in the class. He's been described as a matchup nightmare and after the way he shined in the Under Armour All-American Game there's no doubt he's got a leg up in the race for a starting gig.

Oklahoma's defensive line from 2010 remains fully intact, but we have a feeling Phillips just can't be contained on the bench for long. Go ahead and make the argument for Anthony Johnson or Tim Jernigan if you like, but they're in just as thick competition as Phillips. 

LB: Curtis Grant, Ohio State

Grant plays like a professional, which is very impressive for someone his age.

He can play both inside and outside, reads plays and reacts very fast and can cover a whole bunch of ground as quickly as any linebacker prospect out there.

The Buckeyes need to replace all three starting linebackers from 2010 and with Grant's versatility we find it hard to believe that the nation's top-rated linebacker won't find a home at one of these openings. 

LB: Trey DePriest, Alabama

DePriest has the natural build of a linebacker and a natural ability to read snap counts, get out of his stance quickly and beat his man off the ball.

He has a great motor and is excellent in pursuit; not many prospects can cover the field from sideline to sideline the way he can.

Alabama has a history of developing linebackers quickly under Nick Saban, just look at Donta Hightower and Rolando McClain. DePriest is the next in that line.

LB: Tony Steward, Clemson

At 6'2" and 225 lbs, Steward is one of the most physically imposing prospects in the country, though his stock has dropped a bit as of late.

The kid is built like a bodybuilder, with hardly an ounce of fat. He is incredibly strong and is one of the most athletic prospects in the country at any position, let alone linebacker.

The argument is the same for both Steward and partner in crime Stephone Anthony. Clemson's incumbent linebacking corps is suspect and both 5-star linebackers should be starting by the fall. 

LB: Stephone Anthony, Clemson

Stephone Anthony is a natural pass-rusher with a knack for causing turnovers. There are not many players who can make the ball come loose more often than this kid.

When he gets his hands on someone, there's a chance he will make something happen any given play.

The argument is the same for both Anthony and partner in crime Tony Steward. Clemson's incumbent linebacking corps is suspect and both 5-star linebackers should be starting by the fall. 

CB: De'Anthony Thomas, Oregon

Thomas has the potential to play any number of positions, from running back to cornerback, safety and even linebacker.

Most experts agree he'd be a 5-star prospect regardless the tag put on him. If he wasn't listed at 5'9" and 160 lbs, Thomas would most likely be the top prospect in the country, but even at his size, he has the tools to be a star wherever he lines up. 

The biggest surprise on National Signing Day, Thomas decommitted from USC and bolted for Oregon. You can bet Chip Kelly will find plenty of ways to get him involved any and everywhere. 

CB: Malcolm Mitchell, Georgia

Mitchell is one of the most intriguing prospects at the position in the 2011 class. He's an elite athlete who moves really well and has ideal size at 6'1" and 190 lbs. 

Some say Mitchell is too raw to make an early impact and we might have accepted that line of thinking a few months ago, but there haven't been many recruits rising faster as of late and with Brandon Boykin gone at Georgia, someone will have to step up. 

We just aren't sold on the current backups and Mitchell is just too talented to be held back for long. 

S: Karlos Williams, Florida State

Karlos Williams isn't your average safety. He's built like a linebacker and could easily end up there based on his tackling ability and size. He's also got a great pair of hands and enough speed that it makes you wonder if this 6'2," 210 lbs prospect could be a dominant receiver.

Williams plays the game with passion and when he's roaming in the secondary, he's looking to put a licking on the ball-carrier every single play. 

The Seminoles knew they hit the jackpot after watching Williams dominate the Under Armour All-American Game. Simply put, we think he's one of the next great college football safeties and it won't take long for the nation to realize it. 

S: Marcus Roberson, Florida

Roberson plays with exceptional confidence and has really great closing speed and range, but there's still a debate as to where he'll line up in college.

Some scouts see him as an elite safety, but Roberson insisted that he wanted to play cornerback for months. But he fits better as a safety in Will Muschamp's system at Florida and after a little back and forth, Reberson bought in.  

You could make a case for Ha'Sean Clinton-Dix or maybe even Marquise Lee here, but with Mark Barron returning to Alabama and the Trojans stable of safeties, both will have a tough time getting extended minutes next season. Roberson, on the other hand, could be counted on early to plug a hole in the secondary right from the get-go.