Summer is coming to an end, and with the college football season is right around the corner, it is the perfect time to announce the 2017 CBS Sports Preseason All-America Team as voted on by our panel of college football analysts and insiders.
There were six unanimous selections -- one on offense and five on defense -- with a whopping 21 different programs represented among the 27 first-team selections. Clemson, Florida State, LSU, Penn State, Pitt and USC were the only schools to have two first-teamers.
Among conferences, the ACC was on top with seven first-team picks, followed by the SEC (six), Pac-12 (four), Big Ten and Big 12 (three each). There were two Group of Five selections and a pick from Notre Dame. Wideout Quadree Henderson of Pittsburgh made the first team as a kick returner and all-purpose player, while Texas A&M wide receiver and return specialist Christian Kirk also makes multiple appearances.
Nine members of the 2016 CBS Sports All-America teams are among our preseason picks.
2017 CBS Sports Preseason All-America First Team
* indicates a unanimous first-team selection
| Offense | | | |
|---|---|---|---|
QB | Sam Darnold | USC | Redshirt sophomore |
RB | Saquon Barkley | Penn State | Junior |
RB | Derrius Guice | Junior | |
WR | James Washington* | Senior | |
WR | Courtland Sutton | Redshirt junior | |
TE | Mike Gesicki | Penn State | Senior |
C | Frank Ragnow | Senior | |
OL | Orlando Brown | Redshirt junior | |
OL | Connor Williams | Junior | |
OL | Mike McGlinchey | Notre Dame | Graduate |
OL | Cody O'Connell | Redshirt senior | |
| Defense | | | |
DL | Ed Oliver* | Sophomore | |
DL | Christian Wilkins | Clemson | Junior |
DL | Dexter Lawrence | Clemson | Sophomore |
DL | Harold Landry | Senior | |
LB | Arden Key* | LSU | Junior |
LB | Cameron Smith | USC | Junior |
LB | Josey Jewell | Redshirt senior | |
CB | Tarvarus McFadden* | Florida State | Junior |
CB | Jaire Alexander | Junior | |
S | Derwin James* | Florida State | Redshirt sophomore |
S | Minkah Fitzpatrick* | Junior | |
| Special teams | | | |
K | Daniel Carlson | Redshirt senior | |
P | Mitch Wishnowsky | Sophomore | |
KR | Quadree Henderson | Pittsburgh | Junior |
PR | Christian Kirk | Texas A&M | Junior |
AP | Quadree Henderson | Pittsburgh | Junior |
2017 CBS Sports Preseason All-America Second Team
| Offense | | | |
|---|---|---|---|
QB | Lamar Jackson | Louisville | Junior |
RB | Royce Freeman | Senior | |
RB | Justin Jackson | Senior | |
WR | Christian Kirk | Texas A&M | Junior |
WR | Calvin Ridley | Alabama | Junior |
TE | Troy Fumagalli | Redshirt senior | |
C | Billy Price | Senior | |
OL | Quenton Nelson | Notre Dame | Senior |
OL | Jonah Williams | Alabama | Sophomore |
OL | Martez Ivey | Junior | |
OL | Braden Smith | Auburn | Senior |
| Defense | | | |
DL | Bradley Chubb | Senior | |
DL | Tyquan Lewis | Ohio State | Senior |
DL | Alabama | Junior | |
DL | Vita Vea | Redshirt junior | |
LB | Azeem Victor | Washington | Redshirt senior |
LB | Tegray Scales | Senior | |
LB | Tremaine Edmunds | Junior | |
CB | Duke Dawson | Florida | Senior |
CB | Jordan Thomas | Oklahoma | Senior |
S | Quin Blanding | Senior | |
S | Godwin Igwebuike | Northwestern | Redshirt senior |
| Special teams | | | |
K | Eddy Pineiro | Florida | Redshirt sophomore |
P | JK Scott | Alabama | Senior |
KR | Rashaad Penny | Senior | |
PR | Dante Pettis | Washington | Senior |
AP | Christian Kirk | Texas A&M | Junior |