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    Local Colleges
    Thursday, April 25, 2024

    AP All-America team: Tide leads with four of 10 CFP players

    Alabama defensive back Deionte Thompson celebrates after Mississippi State place kicker Jace Christmann (47) missed a field goal-attempt during the first half of a Nov. 10 game in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Thompson was named to the 2018 AP All-America NCAA college football team on Monday. (Butch Dill/AP Photo)

    The College Football Playoff semifinalists combined to place 10 players on The Associated Press All-America first team, including a high of four from No. 1 Alabama.

    The Crimson Tide had six players chosen to the three All-America teams, more than any other school. No. 2 Clemson has three first-teamers, No. 4 Oklahoma has two All-Americans — including quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Kyler Murray — and No. 3 Notre Dame had one.

    The Tide and Sooners meet in the Orange Bowl on Dec. 29 and the Tigers play the Fighting Irish at the Cotton Bowl that day. The winners meet in the College Football Playoff national championship game Jan. 7 at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California.

    The playoff teams combined for 17 overall selections on the teams chosen by a panel of AP poll voters and released Monday.

    The Tide placed two players on each side of the ball, with Outland Trophy winner Quinnen Williams highlighting the defense. Receiver Jerry Jeudy, offensive tackle Jonah Williams and safety Deionte Thompson also made the first team while Tua Tagovailoa was the second-team quarterback.

    Tagovailoa finished second behind Murray in the Heisman voting on Saturday. Ohio State's Dwayne Haskins was the third-team quarterback after finishing third in the Heisman voting.

    Clemson placed defensive linemen Christian Wilkins and Clelin Ferrell on the first team, and offensive tackle Mitch Hyatt. Cornerback Julian Love represented Notre Dame on the first team.

    Clemson, Oklahoma and LSU each had four players on the three teams, trailing only Alabama. Notre Dame, Kentucky, Iowa, Mississippi State, Texas A&M, Washington and Wisconsin each had three overall selections.

    Kentucky placed two players on the first team: linebacker Josh Allen and guard Bunchy Stallings. The Wildcats have not an AP All-American since receiver/kick returner Derek Abney in 2002.

    FIRST TEAM

    OFFENSE

    Quarterback — Kyler Murray, junior, Oklahoma

    Running backs — Jonathan Taylor, sophomore, Wisconsin; Darrell Henderson, junior, Memphis

    Tackles — Jonah Williams, junior, Alabama; Mitch Hyatt, senior, Clemson

    Guards — Beau Benzschawel, senior, Wisconsin; Bunchy Stallings, senior, Kentucky

    Center — Garrett Bradbury, senior, North Carolina State

    Tight end — Jace Sternberger, junior, Texas A&M

    Wide receivers — Jerry Jeudy, sophomore, Alabama; Marquise Brown, junior, Oklahoma

    All-purpose player — Rondale Moore, freshman, Purdue

    Kicker — Andre Szmyt, freshman, Syracuse

    DEFENSE

    Ends — Clelin Ferrell, junior, Clemson; Sutton Smith, junior, Northern Illinois

    Tackles — Quinnen Williams, junior, Alabama; Christian Wilkins, senior, Clemson

    Linebackers — Josh Allen, senior, Kentucky; Devin White, junior, LSU; Ben Burr-Kirven, senior, Washington

    Cornerbacks — Deandre Baker, senior, Georgia; Julian Love, junior, Notre Dame

    Safeties — Grant Delpit, sophomore, LSU; Deionte Thompson, junior, Alabama

    Punter — Braden Mann, junior, Texas A&M

    SECOND TEAM

    OFFENSE

    Quarterback — Tua Tagovailoa, sophomore, Alabama

    Running backs — Travis Etienne, sophomore, Clemson; Trayveon Williams, junior, Texas A&M

    Tackles — Dalton Risner, senior, Kansas State; Andrew Thomas, sophomore, Georgia

    Guards — Dru Samia, senior, Oklahoma; Michael Dieter, senior, Wisconsin

    Center — Ross Pierschbacher, senior, Alabama

    Tight end — T.J. Hockenson, sophomore, Iowa

    Wide receivers — Tylan Wallace, sophomore, Oklahoma State; Andy Isabella, senior, Massachusetts

    All-purpose player — Greg Dortch, sophomore, Wake Forest

    Kicker — Cole Tracy, senior, LSU

    DEFENSE

    Ends — Montez Sweat, senior, Mississippi State; Jachai Polite, junior, Florida

    Tackles — Jerry Tillery, senior, Notre Dame; Gerald Willis III, senior, Miami

    Linebackers — Devin Bush, junior, Michigan; David Long Jr., junior, West Virginia; Joe Dineen, senior, Kansas

    Cornerbacks — Greedy Williams, sophomore, LSU; Byron Murphy, sophomore, Washington

    Safeties — Taylor Rapp, junior, Washington; Amani Hooker, junior, Iowa

    Punter — Mitch Wishnowsky, senior, Utah

    THIRD TEAM

    OFFENSE

    Quarterbacks — Dwayne Haskins, sophomore, Ohio State

    Running backs — Benny Snell, junior, Kentucky; Eno Benjamin, sophomore, Arizona State

    Tackles — Andre Dillard, senior, Washington State; Cody Ford, junior, Oklahoma

    Guards — Terrone Prescod, senior, North Carolina State; Chris Lindstrom, senior, Boston College

    Center — Michael Jordan, junior, Ohio State

    Tight end — Noah Fant, junior, Iowa

    Wide receivers — A.J. Brown, junior, Mississippi; David Sills V, senior, West Virginia

    All-purpose player — J.J. Taylor, sophomore, Arizona

    Kicker — Matt Gay, senior, Utah

    DEFENSE

    Ends — Chase Winovich, senior, Michigan; Jaylon Ferguson, senior, Louisiana Tech

    Tackles — Jeffery Simmons, junior, Mississippi State; Ed Oliver, junior, Houston

    Linebackers — Paddy Fisher, sophomore, Northwestern; David Woodward, sophomore, Utah State; Te'Von Coney, senior, Notre Dame

    Cornerbacks — Hamp Cheevers, junior, Boston College; Lavert Hill, junior, Michigan

    Safeties — Andre Cisco, freshman, Syracuse; Jonathan Abram, senior, Mississippi State

    Punter — James Smith, sophomore, Cincinnati

    First-team breakdown

    By school (first-team selections-overall)

    Alabama — 4-6.

    Clemson — 3-4.

    Kentucky — 2-3.

    LSU — 2-4.

    Oklahoma — 2-4.

    Texas A&M — 2-3.

    Wisconsin — 2-3.

    Georgia — 1-2.

    Memphis — 1-1.

    Northern Illinois — 1-1.

    North Carolina State — 1-2.

    Notre Dame — 1-3.

    Purdue— 1-1.

    Syracuse — 1-2.

    Washington — 1-3.

    By conference

    SEC — 11.

    ACC — 5.

    Big Ten — 3.

    Big 12 — 2.

    American — 1.

    Pac-12 — 1.

    MAC — 1.

    Independent — 1.

    By class/eligibility

    Freshman — 2.

    Sophomore — 3.

    Junior — 12.

    Senior — 8.

    Selection panel: Rob Asmussen, Champaign (Ill.) News-Gazette; Matt Baker, Tampa Bay (Fla.) Times; Michael Barber, Richmond (Va.) Times-Dispatch; Matt Brown, The Athletic; Robert Cessna, Bryan-College Station (Texas) Eagle; Rece Davis, ESPN; Pat Dooley, Gainesville (Fla.) Sun; Scott Hamilton, WECT-TV (Wilmington, N.C.); Eric Hansen, The South Bend (Ind.) Tribune; Brian Howell, Buffzone.com, Boulder (Colo.) Daily Camera; Rob Long, WJZ FM 105.7 The Fan Baltimore; Sean Manning, The Dominion Post (Morgantown, W.Va.); Conor O'Neill, Winston-Salem (N.C.) Journal; Soren Petro, 810 WHB Kansas City, Mo.; Keith Sargeant, NJ.Com/Star-Ledger; Jon Wilner, San Jose (Calif.) Mercury News.

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