First-team specialists
The SEC takes home both first-team kicker and punter positions entering 2021.
Kicker: Cade York, LSU
Replacing a cult figure like Cole Tracy was always going to be difficult for Cade York. The former three-star kicker endured a brutal 2019 campaign. However, he emerged as one of the best kickers in the nation last season, nailing 100% of his PATs and 85.7% of his field goals. The LSU kicker has one of the strongest legs in the country and has come up clutch for the Tigers.
Punter: Jake Camarda, Georgia
Consistent, accurate, and experienced, Camarda should continue to be at the top of the punting game this college football season. The Georgia punter has A LEG, booming punts over 60 yards in each of his three seasons with the Bulldogs. Furthermore, he averaged 46.6 yards per punt last year while downing 50% of his punts inside the 20-yard line.
Kick Returner: Aron Cruickshank, Rutgers
After transferring from Wisconsin to Rutgers last year, Aron Cruickshank continued his incredible kick-returning form. He earns a first-team college football preseason All-American spot after generating 671 yards, averaging 26.8 yards per return, and taking 2 kicks the distance for scores in 2020.
Punt Returner: Phillip Brooks, Kansas State
Kansas State punt returner Phillip Brooks led the nation in average yards per punt return in 2020. No other player in college football averaged over 20 yards, but Brooks racked up 23.7. The diminutive playmaker took 2 punts to the house while also snagging 2 receiving touchdowns for the Wildcats in 2020.
2021 college football preseason second-team All-Americans
Which players earned second-team college football preseason All-American honors?
Offense
QB: Sam Howell, North Carolina
RB: Bijan Robinson, Texas
RB: Tank Bigsby, Auburn
WR: Garrett Wilson, Ohio State
WR: John Metchie III, Alabama
WR: David Bell, Purdue
TE: Isaiah Likely, Coastal Carolina
OT: Charles Cross, Mississippi State
OG: Jacob Gall, Baylor
OC: Alec Lindstrom, Boston College
OG: Cain Madden, Notre Dame
OT: Sean Rhyan, UCLA
Offensive Flex: Kyren Williams, Notre Dame
Defense
EDGE: Drake Jackson, USC
EDGE: Cade Hall, San Jose State
DT: Haskell Garrett, Ohio State
DT: Dante Stills, West Virginia
LB: Henry To’o To’o, Alabama
LB: Mike Rose, Iowa State
LB: Christian Harris, Alabama
CB: Andrew Booth Jr., Clemson
CB: Mykael Wright, Oregon
CB: Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson, TCU
S: Jordan Battle, Alabama
S: Jalen Catalon, Arkansas
Defensive Flex: Trent McDuffie, Washington
Specialists
K: Will Reichard, Alabama
P: Lou Hedley, Miami
KR: Trestan Ebner, Baylor
PR: Derius Davis, TCU
2021 college football preseason third-team All-Americans
Who makes up our college football preseason third-team All-American group?
Offense
QB: Malik Willis, Liberty
RB: Kevin Harris, South Carolina
RB: Sincere McCormick, UTSA
WR: Ty Fryfogle, Indiana
WR: Zay Flowers, Boston College
WR: Calvin Austin III, Memphis
TE: Michael Mayer, Notre Dame
OT: Nick Broeker, Ole Miss
OG: Jaxson Kirkland, Washington
OC: Jarrett Patterson, Notre Dame
OG: Emil Ekiyor Jr., Alabama
OT: Abraham Lucas, Washington State
Offensive Flex: Romeo Doubs, Nevada
Defense
EDGE: Will Anderson, Alabama
EDGE: Myjai Sanders, Cincinnati
DT: Will Choloh, Troy
DT: Perrion Winfrey, Oklahoma
LB: Edefuan Ulofoshio, Washington
LB: Carlton Martial, Troy
LB: Payton Wilgar, BYU
CB: Eli Ricks, LSU
CB: Tiawan Mullen, Indiana
CB: Garrett Williams, Syracuse
S: Rashad Wisdom, UTSA
S: Keith Gallmon, South Alabama
Defensive Flex: Nik Bonitto, Oklahoma
Specialists
K: Jake Oldroyd, BYU
P: Lucas Dean, UTSA
KR: Chris Smith, Louisiana
PR: Eric Garror, Louisiana
College football preseason All-Americans, honorable mentions
All of these honorable mention college football preseason All-Americans received at least one vote across our voting panel.
Offense
QB: J.T. Daniels, Georgia; Grayson McCall, Coastal Carolina; D’Eriq King, Miami (FL); Dillon Gabriel, UCF; Desmond Ridder, Cincinnati; Carson Strong, Nevada
RB: Mohamed Ibrahim, Minnesota; Zonovan Knight, NC State; Tyler Allgeier, BYU; Ulysses Bentley III, SMU
WR: Marvin Mims, Oklahoma; Jaivon Heiligh, Coastal Carolina; Jahan Dotson, Penn State; Jaylon Robinson, UCF; Kayshon Boutte, LSU; Justin Hall, Ball State
TE: Isaac Rex, BYU; Cole Turner, Nevada
OT: Darian Kinnard, Kentucky; Obinna Eze, TCU; Nicholas Petit-Frere, Ohio State; Thayer Munford
OG: Ed Ingram, LSU; Paul Grattan, UCLA; Zion Johnson, Boston College; Andre Harris Jr., Arkansas State
OC: James Empey, BYU; Colin Newell, Iowa State
Offensive Flex: Ainias Smith, Texas A&M; Jerrion Ealy, Ole Miss
Defense
EDGE: Myles Murphy, Clemson; Ochaun Mathis, TCU; Sam Williams, Ole Miss; Aidan Hutchinson, Michigan
DT: Jermayne Lole, Arizona State; Jordan Davis, Georgia; C.J. Brewer, Coastal Carolina; Dom Peterson, Nevada
LB: Cam Bright, Pittsburgh; Kadofi Wright, Buffalo; Nate Landman, Colorado; Owen Pappoe, Auburn; Ventrell Miller, Florida; James Skalski, Clemson
CB: Berdale Robins, Nevada; Malachi Moore, Alabama; Josh Jobe, Alabama; Devin Rockette, South Alabama; Derrick Canteen, Georgia Southern; Chris Steele, USC
S: Yusuf Corker, Kentucky; Leon O’Neal, Texas A&M; Bralen Trahan, Louisiana; Sterling Weatherford, Miami (OH)
Defensive Flex: Jack Sanborn, Wisconsin; Steven Gilmore, Marshall
K: Cameron Dicker, Texas; B.T Potter, Clemson
P: Michael Turk, Arizona State; Adam Korsak, Rutgers
KR: Trayvon Rudolph, Northern Illinois; D’Shawn Jamison, Texas
PR: Marcus Jones, Houston; Charlie Jones, Iowa
Want 2022 NFL Draft prospect news? Want to do your own mock draft?
Dive into PFN’s Free NFL Mock Draft Simulator and test your own drafting acumen. Continue to visit Pro Football Network for NFL news and in-depth analysis. Also, be sure to follow us on Twitter (@PFN365) to stay in the loop on all things college football and the NFL Draft landscape.
Oliver Hodgkinson is an NFL Draft Analyst for Pro Football Network. You can follow him on Twitter at @ojhodgkinson.