Ohio State safety Caleb Downs, a high-profile transfer to the second-ranked Buckeyes, was among four of his new teammates selected for the preseason Associated Press (AP) All-America team, announced Monday.
Downs, who earned second-team All-American honors as a freshman at Alabama last season, joins guard Donovan Jackson, receiver Emeka Egbuka, and cornerback Denzel Burke on Ohio State’s list of first-team selections. The Buckeyes lead all teams with six total selections, with running back TreVeyon Henderson and defensive lineman Tyleik Williams making the second team.
No. 1 Georgia and No. 9 Michigan each had three players chosen for the first team. Georgia’s selections include quarterback Carson Beck, guard Tate Ratledge, and defensive back Malaki Starks, a first-team All-American last year. Representing the defending national champion Wolverines are tight end Colston Loveland, defensive tackle Mason Graham, and cornerback Will Johnson.
Alabama, ranked No. 5, saw two of its transfers named to the first team: center Parker Brailsford, who came from Washington, and kicker Graham Nicholson from Miami (Ohio). Additionally, No. 7 Notre Dame and No. 13 LSU each placed two players on the first team. Notre Dame’s selections were defensive tackle Howard Cross III and safety Xavier Watts, who was an All-American last season, while LSU was represented by tackle Will Campbell and linebacker Harold Perkins Jr.
Oregon, ranked No. 3, placed three players on the second team, including quarterback Dillon Gabriel, a sixth-year player who transferred from Oklahoma after starting his career at UCF.
First-Team by Conference:
– SEC: 10
– Big Ten: 8
– ACC: 4
– Big 12: 3
– Independent: 2
First-Team Offense:
– Quarterback: Carson Beck, Georgia (5th year)
– Running Backs: Ollie Gordon II, Oklahoma State (3rd year); Omarion Hampton, North Carolina (3rd year)
– Tackles: Will Campbell, LSU (3rd year); Kelvin Banks Jr., Texas (3rd year)
– Guards: Donovan Jackson, Ohio State (4th year); Tate Ratledge, Georgia (5th year)
– Center: Parker Brailsford, Alabama (3rd year)
– Tight End: Colston Loveland, Michigan (3rd year)
– Wide Receivers: Luther Burden III, Missouri (3rd year); Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona (3rd year); Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State (4th year)
– All-Purpose Player: Travis Hunter, Colorado (3rd year)
– Kicker: Graham Nicholson, Alabama (4th year)
First-Team Defense:
– Edge: James Pearce Jr., Tennessee (3rd year); Ashton Gillotte, Louisville (4th year)
– Tackles: Mason Graham, Michigan (3rd year); Howard Cross III, Notre Dame (6th year)
– Linebackers: Harold Perkins Jr., LSU (3rd year); Jay Higgins, Iowa (5th year); Barrett Carter, Clemson (4th year)
– Cornerbacks: Will Johnson, Michigan (3rd year); Denzel Burke, Ohio State (4th year)
– Safeties: Malaki Starks, Georgia (3rd year); Caleb Downs, Ohio State (2nd year)
– Defensive Back: Xavier Watts, Notre Dame (5th year)
– Punter: Alex Mastromanno, Florida State (5th year)
Second-Team Offense:
– Quarterback: Dillon Gabriel, Oregon (6th year)
– Running Backs: TreVeyon Henderson, Ohio State (4th year); Ashton Jeanty, Boise State (3rd year)
– Tackles: Ajani Cornelius, Oregon (5th year); Aireontae Ersery, Minnesota (5th year)
– Guards: Tyler Booker, Alabama (3rd year); Dylan Fairchild, Georgia (4th year)
– Center: Cooper Mays, Tennessee (5th year)
– Tight End: Mitchell Evans, Notre Dame (4th year)
– Wide Receivers: Tez Johnson, Oregon (5th year); Tre Harris, Mississippi (5th year); Ricky White III, UNLV (5th year)
– All-Purpose Player: Zachariah Branch, Southern California (2nd year)
– Kicker: Andres Borregales, Miami (4th year)
Second-Team Defense:
– Edge: Nic Scourton, Texas A&M (3rd year); Abdul Carter, Penn State (3rd year)
– Tackles: Tyleik Williams, Ohio State (4th year); Deone Walker, Kentucky (3rd year)
– Linebackers: Danny Stutsman, Oklahoma (4th year); Jason Henderson, Old Dominion (4th year); Nick Martin, Oklahoma State (4th year)
– Cornerbacks: Benjamin Morrison, Notre Dame (3rd year); Sebastian Castro, Iowa (6th year)
– Safeties: Dillon Thieneman, Purdue (2nd year); Billy Bowman, Oklahoma (4th year)
– Defensive Back: Ricardo Hallman, Wisconsin (4th year)
– Punter: James Ferguson-Reynolds, Boise State (3rd year)
