Athlon picks the best players for 2015.
The 2015 college football season is just around the corner, and it’s time to honor the best of the best for the upcoming year. Several of the nation’s top players from 2014 are in the NFL ranks, but there’s no shortage of talent returning to the FBS level.
Athlon Sports released its 2015 all-conference teams earlier this offseason, and now the focus shifts to the All-America team. Whether it’s quarterback, defensive end or a spot on the special teams, picking the best of the best is no easy task.
And it should be no surprise Ohio State - the defending national champion and Athlon's pick to win it all in 2015 - leads the All-America team with 11 selections. Alabama is second with seven selections, followed by USC (six) and then four teams tied with five (full table of team selections at the bottom of page). The SEC leads the way with 27 overall selections, and the BIg Ten checks in at No. 2 with 24 picks.
An important note on the All-America teams: These are based on how players will perform in 2015. Career statistics and previous awards matter in player evaluation, but choosing players for the 2015 All-America team and all-conference teams are largely based on predicting and projecting the upcoming year.
2015 Athlon Sports All-Conference Teams
Power 5: ACC | Big 12 | Big Ten | Pac-12 | SEC
Group of 5: American | C-USA | MAC | Mountain West | Sun Belt
Athlon Sports 2015 All-America Team
| First-Team Offense |
Second-Team Offense |
Third-Team Offense |
Fourth-Team Offense |
|
| QB |
Trevone Boykin TCU 
|
Dak Prescott Miss. State 
|
Cody Kessler USC 
|
Cardale Jones Ohio State 
|
| RB |
Nick Chubb Georgia 
|
James Conner Pittsburgh 
|
Dalvin Cook Florida State 
|
Samaje Perine Oklahoma 
|
| RB |
Ezekiel Elliott Ohio State
|
Leonard Fournette LSU 
|
Derrick Henry Alabama 
|
Devontae Booker Utah 
|
| AP |
Pharoh Cooper South Carolina 
|
Adoree' Jackson USC
|
D.J. Foster Arizona State 
|
De'Mornay Pierson-El Nebraska 
|
| WR |
Tyler Boyd Pittsburgh
|
JuJu Smith USC
|
Corey Coleman Baylor 
|
Will Fuller Notre Dame 
|
| WR |
Laquon Treadwell Ole Miss 
|
D'haquille Williams Auburn 
|
Rashard Higgins Colorado State 
|
Sterling Shepard Oklahoma
|
| TE |
Hunter Henry Arkansas 
|
Evan Engram Ole Miss
|
O.J. Howard Alabama |
Bucky Hodges Virginia Tech 
|
| C |
Max Tuerk USC
|
Ryan Kelly Alabama
|
Jack Allen Michigan State 
|
Jake Brendel |
| G |
Pat Elflein Ohio State
|
Sebastian Tretola Arkansas
|
Greg Pyke Georgia
|
Joshua Garnett Stanford  |
| G |
Taylor Decker (OT) Ohio State
|
Landon Turner North Carolina 
|
Le'Raven Clark (OT) Texas Tech 
|
Denver Kirkland (OT) Arkansas
|
| T |
Laremy Tunsil Ole Miss
|
Cam Robinson Alabama
|
Ronnie Stanley Notre Dame
|
Kyle Murphy Stanford
|
| T |
Spencer Drango Baylor
|
Jack Conklin Michigan State
|
Cody Whitehair Kansas State 
|
John Theus Georgia
|
| First-Team Defense |
Second-Team Defense |
Third-Team Defense |
Fourth-Team Defense |
|
| DE |
Joey Bosa Ohio State
|
Derek Barnett Tennessee 
|
Myles Garrett Texas A&M 
|
DeForest Buckner Oregon 
|
| DE |
Shilique Calhoun Michigan State
|
Shawn Oakman Baylor
|
Emmanuel Ogbah Oklahoma State 
|
Dadi Nicolas Virginia Tech
|
| DT |
Robert Nkemdiche Ole Miss
|
Andrew Billings Baylor
|
Maliek Collins Nebraska
|
Kenny Clark |
| DT |
A'Shawn Robinson Alabama
|
Anthony Zettel Penn State 
|
Adolphus Washington Ohio State
|
Sheldon Day Notre Dame
|
| LB |
Myles Jack UCLA 
|
Darron Lee Ohio State
|
Su'a Cravens |
Tyler Matakevich Temple 
|
| LB |
Reggie Ragland Alabama
|
Jaylon Smith Notre Dame
|
Joshua Perry Ohio State
|
Vince Biegel Wisconsin 
|
| LB |
Scooby Wright Arizona 
|
Eric Striker Oklahoma
|
Jordan Jenkins Georgia
|
Darian Thompson (S) Boise State 
|
| CB |
Kendall Fuller Virginia Tech
|
Eli Apple Ohio State
|
Mackensie Alexander Clemson 
|
B. Boddy-Calhoun Minnesota 
|
| CB |
Vernon Hargreaves III Florida 
|
Zack Sanchez Oklahoma
|
William Likely Maryland 
|
KeiVarae Russell Notre Dame
|
| S |
Jalen Ramsey (CB) Florida State
|
Jeremy Cash Duke 
|
Karl Joseph West Virginia 
|
Dante Barnett Kansas State
|
| S |
Tony Conner Ole Miss
|
Vonn Bell Ohio State
|
Quin Blanding Virginia 
|
Budda Baker Washington  |
| First-Team Specialists |
Second-Team Specialists |
Third-Team Specialists |
Fourth-Team Specialists |
|
| K |
Roberto Aguayo Florida State
|
Brad Craddock Maryland
|
Andy Phillips Utah
|
Josh Lambert West Virginia
|
| P |
Tom Hackett Utah
|
JK Scott Alabama
|
Austin Rehkow Idaho 
|
Peter Mortell Minnesota
|
| KR |
Alex Ross Oklahoma
|
Adoree' Jackson USC
|
Myles Willis Boston College 
|
Janarion Grant Rutgers 
|
| PR |
De'Mornay Pierson-El Nebraska |
Charles Nelson Oregon
|
Jalin Marshall Ohio State
|
Isaiah McKenzie Georgia
|
Conference Breakdown of All-America Selections
| First | Second | Third | Fourth | Total | |
| ACC | 4 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 13 |
| Big 12 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 16 |
| Big Ten | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 24 |
| Pac-12 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 19 |
| SEC | 10 | 9 | 5 | 3 | 27 |
| Independents | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| American Athletic | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Mountain West | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Sun Belt | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Team Breakdown of All-America Selections
| Team | Number of Selections |
| Ohio State | 11 |
| Alabama | 7 |
| USC | 6 |
| Oklahoma | 5 |
| Georgia | 5 |
| Ole Miss | 5 |
| Notre Dame | 5 |
| Baylor | 4 |
| Florida State | 3 |
| Virginia Tech | 3 |
| Michigan State | 3 |
| Nebraska | 3 |
| UCLA | 3 |
| Utah | 3 |
| Arkansas | 3 |
| Pittsburgh | 2 |
| Kansas State | 2 |
| West Virginia | 2 |
| Maryland | 2 |
| Minnesota | 2 |
| Oregon | 2 |
| Stanford | 2 |
| Boston College | 1 |
| Clemson | 1 |
| Duke | 1 |
| North Carolina | 1 |
| Virginia | 1 |
| Oklahoma State | 1 |
| TCU | 1 |
| Texas Tech | 1 |
| Penn State | 1 |
| Rutgers | 1 |
| Wisconsin | 1 |
| Arizona | 1 |
| Arizona State | 1 |
| Washington | 1 |
| Florida | 1 |
| LSU | 1 |
| Mississippi State | 1 |
| South Carolina | 1 |
| Texas A&M | 1 |
| Tennessee | 1 |
| Auburn | 1 |
| Boise State | 1 |
| Temple | 1 |
| Idaho | 1 |
| Colorado State | 1 |
