Athlon picks the best CFB players for 2020
The 2020 college football season is slated to start in late August and it’s time to honor the best of the best for the upcoming year. The SEC and ACC lead the way on the 2020 Athlon Sports' All-America Team with 23 overall selections apiece, followed by the Big Ten with 21. Alabama has the most overall players selected (eight), with Ohio State coming in second with six players picked.
Athlon Sports released its 2020 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 special teams, picking the best of the best is no easy task.
An important note on the All-America teams: These are based on how players will perform in 2020. Career statistics and previous awards matter in player evaluation, but choosing players for the 2020 All-America team and all-conference teams is largely based on predicting and projecting the upcoming year.
2020 Athlon Sports All-Conference Teams
Power 5: ACC | Big 12 | Big Ten | Pac-12 | SEC
Group of 5: American | C-USA | MAC | MW | Sun Belt
Athlon Sports 2020 All-America Team
First-Team Offense
QB Trevor Lawrence, Clemson
RB Travis Etienne, Clemson
RB Chuba Hubbard, Oklahoma State
AP Rondale Moore, Purdue
WR Ja'Marr Chase, LSU
WR DeVonta Smith, Alabama
TE Pat Friermuth, Penn State
C Creed Humphrey, Oklahoma
OL Penei Sewell, Oregon
OL Wyatt Davis, Ohio State
OL Alex Leatherwood, Alabama
OL Trey Smith, Tennessee
First-Team Defense
DL Marvin Wilson, Florida State
DL Kayvon Thibodeaux, Oregon
DL Gregory Rousseau, Miami
DL Levi Onwuzurike, Washington
LB Micah Parsons, Penn State
LB Dylan Moses, Alabama
LB Nick Bolton, Missouri
CB Derek Stingley Jr., LSU
CB Patrick Surtain II, Alabama
S Richard LeCounte, Georgia
S Jevon Holland, Oregon
First-Team Specialists
K Keith Duncan, Iowa
P Max Duffy, Kentucky
KR Ihmir Smith-Marsette, Iowa
PR Jaylen Waddle, Alabama
Second-Team Offense
QB Justin Fields, Ohio State
RB Najee Harris, Alabama
RB Jaret Patterson, Buffalo
AP Kenneth Gainwell, Memphis
WR Rashod Bateman, Minnesota
WR Tylan Wallace, Oklahoma State
TE Charlie Kolar, Iowa State
C Drake Jackson, Kentucky
OL Samuel Cosmi, Texas
OL Cole Van Lanen, Wisconsin
OL Alaric Jackson, Iowa
OL Darian Kinnard, Kentucky
Second-Team Defense
DL Carlos Basham Jr., Wake Forest
DL Jalen Twyman, Pitt
DL Tyler Davis, Clemson
DL Quincy Roche, Miami
LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Notre Dame
LB Hamilcar Rashed Jr., Oregon State
LB K.J. Britt, Auburn
CB Shaun Wade, Ohio State
CB Elijah Molden, Washington
S Trevon Moehrig, TCU
S JaCoby Stevens, LSU
Second-Team Specialists
K Nick Sciba, Wake Forest
P Blake Hayes, Illinois
KR Joshua Youngblood, Kansas State
PR Avery Williams, Boise State
Third-Team Offense
QB Sam Howell, North Carolina
RB Kennedy Brooks, Oklahoma
RB Kylin Hill, Mississippi State
AP Max Borghi, Washington State
WR Jaylen Waddle, Alabama
WR Tutu Atwell, Louisville
WR Chris Olave, Ohio State
TE Kyle Pitts, Florida
C Tyler Linderbaum, Iowa
OL Abraham Lucas, Washington State
OL Alijah Vera-Tucker, USC
OL Rashawn Slater, Northwestern
OL Jackson Carman, Clemson
Third-Team Defense
DL Tyler Shelvin, LSU
DL Jay Tufele, USC
DL Darius Stills, West Virginia
DL Aidan Hutchinson, Michigan
LB Carlton Martial, Troy
LB Joseph Ossai, Texas
LB Rayshard Ashby, Virginia Tech
CB Caleb Farley, Virginia Tech
CB Eric Stokes, Georgia
S Paris Ford, Pitt
S Kolby Harvell-Peel, Oklahoma State
Third-Team Specialists
K Riley Patterson, Memphis
P Adam Korsak, Rutgers
KR Savon Scarver, Utah State
PR Christian Tutt, Auburn
Fourth-Team Offense
QB Sam Ehlinger, Texas
RB Javian Hawkins, Louisville
RB CJ Verdell, Oregon
WR Dazz Newsome, North Carolina
WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, USC
WR Sage Surratt, Wake Forest
WR Tamorrion Terry, Florida State
TE Brevin Jordan, Miami
C Josh Myers, Ohio State
OL Liam Eichenberg, Notre Dame
OL Nolan Laufenberg, Air Force
OL Walker Little, Stanford
OL Thayer Munford, Ohio State
Fourth-Team Defense
DL Chris Rumph II, Duke
DL George Karlaftis, Purdue
DL DeAngelo Malone, WKU
DL LaBryan Ray, Alabama
LB Terrel Bernard, Baylor
LB Garret Wallow, TCU
LB Paddy Fisher, Northwestern
LB Chazz Surratt, North Carolina
CB Thomas Graham, Oregon
CB Paulson Adebo, Stanford
S Greg Eisworth, Iowa State
S Kyle Hamilton, Notre Dame
Fourth-Team Specialists
K Gabe Brkic, Oklahoma
P Michael Turk, Arizona State
KR Damond Philyaw-Johnson, Duke
PR Otis Anderson, UCF