College Football: Predicting the 2011 All-America Team

Week 9 of college football is here, and the season is rapidly winding down.  The regular season is almost over, and it's time to really start looking into individual awards and the vaunted All-America team!

Selecting an All-America team is a tradition around 100 years old.  

Just like making the Pro Bowl in the NFL, making a college football All-America team is a great honor.  

Here's a list of who's looking like an All-American after nine weeks of football.  

Quarterback

First Team:  

Andrew Luck, 6'4", 235 lbs

Redshirt junior, Stanford Cardinal

Andrew Luck is the best quarterback in the nation.  He isn't playing stiff competition, and he hasn't eclipsed 2,000 yards passing yet, but he'll be the first-team quarterback.  He isn't exactly who I'd pick as the first-team quarterback, but the media loves him.  

Passing Yards:  2,218

Completion Percentage:  71.9

Touchdowns:  23

Second Team:  

Case Keenum, 6'2", 210 lbs

Redshirt senior, Houston Cougars

Case Keenum plays for what very well may be the weakest conference in the land, C-USA, but he is a football player.  His record-breaking nine touchdowns against Rice and his gaudy passing numbers will help him overcome a weak schedule and become an All-American.

Passing Yards:  3,219

Completion Percentage:  71.9

Touchdowns:  32

Others deserving:

Seth Doege, Texas Tech

Landry Jones, Oklahoma

Robert Griffin III, Baylor

Running Backs

First Team:

Trent Richardson, 5'11", 225 lbs

Junior, Alabama Crimson Tide

Trent Richardson is the consensus best running back in the 2012 NFL draft, but his play on the collegiate field will earn him All-America honors.  

Rushing Yards:  989

Average:  6.64

Touchdowns:  17

Montee Ball, 5'11", 210 lbs

Junior, Wisconsin Badgers

Montee Ball has been overshadowed by Heisman candidate Russell Wilson, but he is a quality running back.  He was a big part of the team's national title hopes before they were derailed by the Michigan State Spartans in the notorious instant-classic game.

Rushing Yards:  853

Average:  6.01

Touchdowns:  18

Second Team:

David Wilson, 5'10", 205 lbs

Junior, Virginia Tech Hokies

Wilson may not get the touchdowns he deserves for being the Hokies' workhorse, but he's one of the best running backs in the nation.  

Rushing Yards:  1,185

Average:  6.34

Touchdowns:  seven

Chris Polk, 5'11", 222 lbs

Junior, Washington Huskies

Polk's four touchdowns in a win against Arizona have me convinced.  

Rushing Yards:  1,016

Average:  5.55

Touchdowns:  nine

Others deserving:

Ray Graham, Pittsburgh

Henry Josey, Missouri

Offensive Tackles

First Team:

Jonathan Martin, 6'6", 305 lbs

Senior, Stanford Cardinal

Jonathan Martin is a big reason why Andrew Luck is so successful.  Having a tackle of Martin's caliber protecting a quarterback is a serious leg-up for any team.  Martin is likely to be a top-10 pick in the 2012 NFL draft, and might be the first tackle off the board.

Barrett Jones, 6'5", 311 lbs

Redshirt junior, Alabama Crimson Tide

Jones will likely become an All-American for several reasons.  He transitioned from right guard to left tackle flawlessly this year, and he is blocking for Trent Richardson.  Richardson looks to be Heisman-bound, and the Tide will quite possibly make it to the national championship.  This resume will propel Jones to the top.  

Second Team:

Nate Potter, 6'6", 300 lbs

Senior, Boise State Broncos

Matt Reynolds, 6'6", 322 lbs

Senior, BYU

Others deserving:

Kelechi Osemele, Iowa State

Matt Kalil, USC

Offensive Guards

First Team:

David DeCastro, 6'5", 310 lbs

Senior, Stanford Cardinal

DeCastro has not gone up against a lot of talent, but he did impose his will on Washington's Alameda Ta'amu.  He's opened holes well enough to accrue over six yards-per-carry for his running backs, and keeps Andrew Luck safe from the interior rushes by defensive linemen.  

Ryan Miller, 6'8", 295 lbs

Senior, Colorado Buffaloes

Colorado may have won only one game this year, but Ryan Miller has not been at fault.  I believe that Miller's superior athleticism and consistent performance against superior opponents will win him All-America honors, despite his team's atrocious record against their new Pac-12 opponents.  

Second Team:

Kevin Zeitler, 6'4", 315 lbs

Senior, Wisconsin Badgers

Zeitler has been a force in the trenches, helping running back Montee Ball rush for 853 yards.

Lonnie Edwards, 6'4", 320 lbs

Senior, Texas Tech Red Raiders

Lonnie Edwards is an effective run-blocker, but he's had more opportunity to showcase his pass blocking against opposing defensive tackles under Texas Tech's prolific passing game.  He helped hang 41 points in a win against Oklahoma.  

Others deserving:

Cordy Glenn, Georgia

Stephen Good, Oklahoma

Center

First Team:

Peter Konz, 6'5", 315 lbs

Junior, Wisconsin Badgers

Peter Konz and Wisconsin may have blown their chance at making it to the national championship, but Konz is well on his way to becoming an All-American.  He helped Wisconsin pummel Nebraska, 48-17, and manhandled star defensive tackle Jared Crick the entire game.  

Second Team:

Michael Brewster, 6'5", 305 lbs

Senior, Ohio State Buckeyes

Like Konz, Michael Brewster has on his resume a full game of dominating Nebraska's Jared Crick.  He is incredibly athletic for a 300-lb man and almost never whiffs on blocks.  He was instrumental in Ohio State's upset victory over Wisconsin.

Others Deserving:

William Vlachos, Alabama

Garth Gerhart, Arizona State

Tight End

First Team:

Dwayne Allen, 6'4", 255 lbs

Junior, Clemson Tigers

Dwayne Allen is hands-down the best tight end in the nation.  He is a better blocker for the run than the pass, but he is a veritable over-sized wide receiver.  He has been instrumental in Clemson's one-loss season, and has shown a knack for finding the end zone.  

Receiving Yards:  464

Touchdowns:  five

Second Team:

Tyler Eifert, 6'6", 249 lbs

Junior, Notre Dame Fighting Irish

In what looks to be a resurgence of the Fighting Irish, Tyler Eifert has been providing a reliable option as a receiver.  He is second on his team in receptions and yards.  

Receiving Yards:  446

Touchdowns:  three

Others deserving: 

Ryan Otten, San Jose State

Coby Fleener, Stanford

Wide Receivers

First Team:

Keenan Allen, 6'3", 205 lbs

Sophomore, California Golden Bears

Though Allen plays for an underwhelming Cal team, he has had five games this year where he had over 100 yards receiving, and three games where he had over 150 yards, including a whopping 197 yards on 10 catches against Washington.  He has a record long catch of 90 yards.

Receiving Yards: 989

Average:  14.8

Touchdowns:  five

Ryan Broyles, 5'10", 188 lbs

Senior, Oklahoma Sooners

Ryan Broyles is second in the nation in receiver yards, and the short receiver has been Landry Jones' favorite target all year, racking up an enormous 81 receptions.  

His highest yardage game came against Kansas, where he accrued 217 yards, but his finest performance was a 171-yard game against Kansas State.

Receiving Yards: 1070

Average:  13.2

Touchdowns:  10

Second Team:

Kendall Wright, 5'10", 190 lbs

Senior, Baylor Bears

Kendall Wright has been one of the primary weapons that is making quarterback Robert Griffin III look so good.  He ranks fourth in the nation, average well over 100 yards per game.

Receiving Yards: 874

Average:  13.2

Touchdowns:  nine

Chris Givens, 6'0", 195 lbs

Junior, Wake Forest Demon Deacons

Chris Givens plays for an afterthought team that has never posed a threat to win the ACC, let alone a national title.  Despite this fact, Givens has been coming up big and has one of the highest yard averages in the nation.

Receiving Yards: 928

Average:  17.8

Touchdowns:  eight

Others deserving:

Patrick Edwards, Houston

A.J. Jenkins, Illinois

Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma State

Kickers

First Team:

Quinn Sharp, 6'1", 189 lbs

Junior, Oklahoma State Cowboys

Sharp's leg has been getting a workout with the extra points and he has a respectable field-goal percentage.  What really makes Quinn Sharp stand out is his amazing 52.78 percent touchback percentage on kickoffs, where he leads the nation in total touchbacks.  Sharp also pairs as the team's punter.

Field Goals:  12/14

Touchbacks:  38

Second Team:

Randy Bullock, 5'9", 212 lbs

Senior, Texas A&M Aggies

Randy Bullock leads the nation in field-goal percentage at 94.1 percent and has a good touchback percentage at 33.87 percent.  He has made seven field goals this year of over 40 yards, and found his mark on every attempt in the Aggies' three losses.  He has not missed a single extra point this year.

Field Goals:  16/17

Touchbacks:  21

Defensive Ends

First Team:

Vinny Curry, 6'5", 242 lbs

Senior, Marshall Thundering Herd

Curry plays for a mediocre team in the weak C-USA, but he has been a dominating force for his team. As a defensive end, he has the raw stats to back up his astounding play.  He is also tied for first in the nation with six forced fumbles

Sacks:  10.5

Tackles for Loss:  18

Whitney Mercilus, 6'4", 265 lbs

Junior, Illinois Fighting Illini

Whitney's name is kind of strange.  He has a girl's first name, but his last name "Merciless" is more than fitting.  

He's wreaking the same kind of havoc that Curry is, but he is doing it in a highly-competitive Big Ten. He has been a big part of Illinois climbing from the cellar of their conference.  He also is tied for first in the nation with six forced fumbles.

Sacks:  11.5

Tackles for Loss:  16.5

Second Team:

Andre Branch, 6'5", 260 lbs

Senior, Clemson Tigers

Branch has filled Da'Quan Bowers' spot as Clemson's best pass-rusher.  He has been a large part of Clemson's "dream season," though it came crashing to an end against Georgia Tech.

Sacks:  7.5

Tackles for Loss:  12

Frank Alexander, 6'4", 255 lbs

Senior, Oklahoma Sooners

Oklahoma is still in the run for the national title, and although their defense is suspect, Frank Alexander is not.

Sacks:  7.5

Tackles for Loss:  12.5

Defensive Tackles

First Team:

Alameda Ta'amu, 6'3", 337 lbs

Senior, Washington Huskies

Defensive tackles never get the numbers they deserve, so their stats rarely get them selected to All-America teams.  Ta'amu was an integral part of the Huskies' short-lived climb into the Top 25.  He is one of the most difficult tackles to block in the entire nation, constantly commanding double-teams.

Tackles:  20

Sacks:  1.5

Jared Crick, 6'6", 285 lbs

Senior, Nebraska Cornhuskers

Crick has been a big part of Nebraska's smooth transition into the Big Ten.  He is one of the premier defensive tackles in the nation.  His stats belie the true impact he can have on a game.  

Tackles:  22

Sacks:  1.5

Second Team:

Josh Chapman, 6'1", 310 lbs

Senior, Alabama Crimson Tide

Chapman is one of the strongest defensive linemen in the nation and has played a huge part in Alabama's No. 1 ranked rush defense.

Tackles:  13

Sacks:  0.5

Jerel Worthy, 6'3", 310 lbs

Junior, Michigan State Spartans

Worthy has played a big part in Michigan State's stout, Big Ten leading defense.  He has a questionable motor, but when he's on the field he makes a large impact.  

Tackles:  17

Sacks:  2.5

Linebackers

First Team:

Vontaze Burfict, 6'3", 250 lbs

Junior, Arizona State Sun Devils

Vontaze is one of the most feared linebackers in the nation.  He's about as fast as a 250-lb linebacker can get, and his athleticism allows him to close on opponents just when they think they see daylight.  

Tackles:  45

Sacks:  four

Luke Kuechly, 6'3", 237 lbs

Junior, Boston College Eagles

Kuechly is one of the few shining stars on a very bad Boston College team.  He's basically their entire defense.  He leads the nation in tackles and has added two interceptions to his already gaudy numbers.

Tackles:  130

Sacks:  zero

Dont'a Hightower, 6'4", 260 lbs

Junior, Alabama Crimson Tide

Hightower's stats cannot tell the whole story, as Alabama leads the nation in forcing three-and-outs.  He doesn't get the field time needed to pile the numbers on.  Though slow to recover from his 2009 torn ACL, Hightower has been a terror on the field for the Crimson Tide this year, leading them in tackles.

He has one interception that he returned 29 yards, where jaws dropped at the agility of the 260-lb man.

Tackles:  46

Sacks:  1.5

Second Team:

Danny Trevathan, 6'1", 232 lbs

Senior, Kentucky Wildcats

Trevathan plays for a bad team in a ruthless conference.  He has still managed to rank high nationally in defensive categories.  He's picked off opposing quarterbacks three times this year, something rare for a linebacker, and has two forced fumbles.

Tackles:  94

Sacks:  two

Mike Taylor, 6'2", 230 lbs

Junior, Wisconsin Badgers

Taylor leads the Wisconsin defense, and though he has put up solid numbers, Wisconsin has dropped two losses.  He has been effective in causing turnovers, with one forced fumble and one interception.

Tackles:  78

Sacks:  one

Courtney Upshaw, 6'2", 270 lbs

Senior, Alabama Crimson Tide

With his weight, it's hard to believe that Upshaw is a linebacker, but he moves extremely well for such a big man.  His numbers would be much higher if the Alabama defense didn't force opposing offenses off the field so rapidly.  

He's second in the SEC with 11.5 tackles for loss and tacked on an interception he returned for a touchdown.

Tackles:  27

Sacks:  4.5

Cornerbacks

First Team:

Tyrann Mathieu, 5'9", 175 lbs

Sophomore, LSU Tigers

Mathieu may not be the best cornerback on his team, but he's had a huge impact in every game he's played.  He has become the nation's top turnover machine, with three forced fumbles (seven for his career) and two interceptions.

Tackles:  43

Passes defended:  seven

Interceptions:  two

David Amerson, 6'3", 185 lbs

Sophomore, North Carolina State Wolfpack

An extremely tall and lanky cornerback, Amerson has taken advantage of his relative unknown status and turned into a real ball hawk.  He leads the nation with eight interceptions, and the year isn't even over yet.  He is a solid force in the secondary, and with his reach it's very difficult to complete passes against him.

Tackles:  42

Passes defended:  11

Interceptions:  eight

Second Team:

Morris Claiborne, 6'1", 185 lbs

Junior, LSU Tigers

Claiborne is a dangerous shutdown cornerback, and for the life of me I can't tell you why quarterbacks throw towards him.  He has practically made LSU fans forget all about their previous stud cornerback, Patrick Peterson.  

Claiborne is one of the most complete defensive backs in the nation, and has the numbers to back that up.

Tackles:  30

Passes defended:  seven

Interceptions:  three

Nigel Malone, 5'10", 175 lbs

Junior, Kansas State Wildcats

Malone has been a big contributor for a Wildcats team that went undefeated for most of the season. Though his team had 58 points hung on them by Oklahoma, he intercepted two passes during that game, against one of the best quarterbacks in the nation.  He is second in the nation in picks.

Tackles:  34

Passes defended:  12

Interceptions:  six

Safeties

First Team:

Mark Barron, 6'2", 218 lbs

Senior, Alabama Crimson Tide

Alabama's perennial star safety has been one of the surest tackles all year.  He often forgoes brutal hits to make sure his quarry hits the turf.  

He hasn't been big on interceptions since his seven in the 2009 championship season, but he's one of the best coverage safeties in the nation, and is absolutely dominating against the run.  

Like the rest of his defense, he's not on the field enough to pad the stats.

Tackles:  37

Passes broken up:  five

Interceptions:  one

Markelle Martin, 6'1", 198 lbs

Senior, Oklahoma State Cowboys

Like Barron, Martin's stats don't tell the whole story.  He may not have an interception this year, but he is about as solid as it gets.  His best games came on the biggest stages in wins against Texas, Arizona, Missouri, Texas A&M and Baylor.  He also has two forced fumbles.

Tackles:  47

Passes broken up:  seven

Interceptions:  zero

Second Team:

Robert Lester, 6'2", 210 lbs

Junior, Alabama Crimson Tide

Lester, a former high school teammate of the legendary Julio Jones (Alabama Crimson Tide, Atlanta Falcons), was second in the nation in 2010 with eight interceptions.  He has only tallied one interception in 2011, but he was a hair's width from intercepting numerous more.  

He's a sure tackler, and opposing quarterbacks try to stay away from him.  His stats aren't the prettiest, but he's an integral part of the nation's No. 2 pass defense.

Tackles:  21

Passes broken up: three

Interceptions:  one

Donyae Coleman, 5'10", 187 lbs

Senior, New Mexico State Aggies

Coleman plays in the severely weakened WAC (with Boise State no longer there) but he has been a tackling machine.  Out of all the defensive backs in the country, he's got more tackling fuel than any of them.  He's a turnover nightmare as well, with three forced fumbles.

Tackles:  92

Passes broken up: five

Interceptions:  four

Punters

First Team:

Quinn Sharp, 6'1", 189 lbs

Junior, Oklahoma State Cowboys

Quinn Sharp may make history as an All-American, earning the honors as a punter and a kicker.  He's been the key to Oklahoma State's consistent good field position.  Like his work as a place kicker, Quinn racks up gaudy numbers as a punter.  

Punt Yards:  1,380

Average:  47.59

Second Team:

Ian Campbell, 5'11", 170 lbs

Junior, University of Texas-El Paso Miners

Campbell doesn't get his numbers because his team is bad, as UTEP is a pretty decent C-USA team. He is a quality punter and gets the long kicks on a regular basis.

Punt Yards:  1,529

Average:  47.78