Written by RALPH D. RUSSO, writer for AP College Football

On Monday, the Associated Press announced their All-America team, which included Jayden Daniels from LSU, who won the Heisman Trophy. Out of all the players chosen, Daniels was one of seven who had been in college football for either their fifth or sixth season.

Last week, Daniels, a quarterback in his fifth year, was awarded the Heisman and AP player of the year for his impressive performance this season. He accounted for 50 touchdowns and almost 5,000 yards of offense.

Missouri’s Cody Schrader, a sixth-year running back and former Division II player, was also present in the backfield. He currently holds the top spot in the nation for rushing yards per game at 124.9.

The AP first team also included North Carolina State linebacker Payton Wilson, a sixth-year player, who received the Chuck Bednarik Award for being named the top defensive player in the nation.

The first team included fifth-year players such as guard Cooper Beebe from Kansas State, edge rushers Laiatu Latu from UCLA and Jalen Green from James Madison, and defensive tackle T’Vondre Sweat from Texas.

College athletes who were enrolled during the 2020 pandemic season were given an additional year of eligibility and are continuing to make their impact known across the nation.

There were 11 additional players in their fifth year chosen for the second and third teams, as well as 8 players in their sixth year, including Washington’s quarterback Michael Penix Jr., who was the runner-up for the Heisman trophy. Penix and the second-ranked Huskies will be playing against the third-ranked Texas team in the Sugar Bowl semifinal of the College Football Playoff on January 1st.

Joe Alt, an offensive tackle for Notre Dame, and Marvin Harrison Jr., a receiver for Ohio State, were both chosen as first-team All-Americans for the second consecutive year. Additionally, Beebe and Brock Bowers, a tight end for Georgia, have been promoted from second team to first team this season.

Alabama ranked first among all teams with three defensive players selected as first-team All-Americans: cornerbacks Kool-Aid McKinstry and Terrion Arnold, and linebacker Dallas Turner.

On January 1st, the Crimson Tide, who are ranked fourth in the College Football Playoff, will be playing against No. 1 Michigan in the semifinal game of the Rose Bowl.

SEC — 9.

Big Ten — 6.

Pac-12 — 4.

Big 12 — 3.

ACC — 1.

MAC — 1.

Sun Belt — 1.

Independent — 2.

A group of 18 college Top 25 poll voters chose the AP All-America team.

Quarterback — Jayden Daniels, fifth-year, LSU.

Ollie Gordon II, a second-year player from Oklahoma State, and Cody Schrader, a sixth-year player from Missouri, are the two running backs.

Tackles — Joe Alt, third-year, Notre Dame; Olu Fashanu, fourth-year, Penn State.

Guards — Cooper Beebe, fifth-year, Kansas State; Zak Zinter, fourth-year, Michigan.

Center — Jackson Powers-Johnson, third-year, Oregon.

Tight end — Brock Bowers, third-year, Georgia.

Malik Nabers, a junior at LSU, is a wide receiver. Marvin Harrison Jr., also a junior, attends Ohio State. Rome Odunze, a senior, plays for Washington.

Versatile athlete – Travis Hunter, sophomore at Colorado.

Graham Nicholson, a third-year student from Miami (Ohio), is a kicker.

Two players who excel at getting past offensive linemen are Laiatu Latu, a fifth-year player from UCLA, and Jalen Green, also in his fifth year, playing for James Madison.

Interior linemen — T’Vondre Sweat, fifth-year, Texas; Jer’Zahn Newton, fourth-year, Illinois.

The linebackers for the upcoming season include Payton Wilson from North Carolina State, Edgerrin Cooper from Texas A&M, and Dallas Turner from Alabama.

Cornerbacks — Cooper DeJean, third-year, Iowa; Kool-Aid McKinstry, third-year, Alabama.

Safeties — Malaki Starks, second-year, Georgia; Xavier Watts, fourth-year, Notre Dame.

Terion Arnold is a third-year defensive back at the University of Alabama.

Punter — Tory Taylor, fourth-year, Iowa.

The starting quarterback for Washington is Michael Penix Jr., who is in his sixth year.

Running backs — Audric Estime, third-year, Notre Dame; Omarion Hampton, second-year, North Carolina.

Tackles — Taliese Fuaga, fourth-year, Oregon State; JC Latham, third-year, Alabama.

Guards — Tate Ratledge, fourth-year, Georgia; Clay Webb, fifth-year, Jacksonville State.

Sedrick Van Pran, a senior from Georgia, is a member of the Center position.

Dallin Holker is a fifth-year tight end from Colorado State.

The wide receivers for this season include Troy Franklin from Oregon in his third year, Malik Washington from Virginia in his fifth year, and Luther Burden III from Missouri in his second year.

Multi-talented athlete, Ashton Jeanty, a sophomore at Boise State University.

Kicker — Jose Pizano, third-year, UNLV.

Edge rushers — Jonah Elliss, third-year, Utah; Jared Verse, fourth-year, Florida State.

Interior linemen — Byron Murphy II, third-year, Texas; Howard Cross III, fifth-year, Notre Dame.

The linebackers on the team include Jeremiah Trotter Jr. from Clemson in his third year, Jason Henderson from Old Dominion in his third year, and Jay Higgins from Iowa in his fourth year.

Cornerbacks — Quinyon Mitchell, fourth-year, Toledo; Beanie Bishop Jr., sixth-year, West Virginia.

Safeties — Tyler Nubin, fifth-year, Minnesota; Caleb Downs, first-year, Alabama.

Kris Abrams-Draine, a fourth-year player from Missouri, is a defensive back.

Matthew Hayball, a sixth-year student at Vanderbilt, is a punter.

Quarterbacks listed on the Oregon team roster include Bo Nix, who is a fifth-year player.

The two running backs on the team are Blake Corum, who is in his fourth year at Michigan, and Kimani Vidal, a fourth-year player from Troy.

Tackles: Javon Foster from Missouri in his sixth year, and Troy Fautanu from Washington in his fifth year.

Guards — Christian Haynes, sixth-year, UConn; Luke Kandra, fourth-year, Cincinnati.

Zach Frazier, a fourth-year student from West Virginia, is the center on the team.

Ben Sinnott, a fourth-year student from Kansas State, plays the position of tight end.

Wide receivers — Ricky White, fourth-year, UNLV; Brian Thomas Jr., third-year, LSU; Tetairoa McMillan, second-year, Arizona.

Xavier Worthy, a versatile third-year player from Texas.

Placekicker – Will Reichard, in his fifth year at Alabama.

Chop Robinson and Bralen Trice are both edge rushers, with Robinson having been in his third year at Penn State and Trice in his fifth year at Washington.

Kris Jenkins and Braden Fiske are both interior linemen, with Jenkins in his fourth year at Michigan and Fiske in his sixth year at Florida State.

Nathaniel Watson, a sixth-year player from Mississippi State, is joined by Edefuan Ulofoshio, also in his sixth year and hailing from Washington, and Danny Stutsman, in his third year out of Oklahoma, as the team’s linebackers.

Ricardo Hallman and T.J. Tampa are third and fourth-year cornerbacks from Wisconsin and Iowa State, respectively.

Safeties – Trey Taylor, in his fifth year at Air Force, and Dillon Thieneman, in his first year at Purdue.

Sebastian Castro, a fifth-year player from Iowa, in the defensive back position.

Punter James Ferguson-Reynolds, a sophomore at Boise State University.

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Source: wralsportsfan.com