In just a few short seasons, these Preseason All-AAC Teams will look a lot different. With Cincinnati and UCF set to join the Big 12, the Bearcats and Knights make one of their final appearances on college football preseason lists in the American Athletic Conference in 2022. Presented in conjunction with our release of our College Football All-Americans, we at PFN debut our 2022 preseason All-AAC Team, as voted on by our team of national analysts and NFL draft evaluators.
PFN’s 2022 All-AAC Team
It’s important to note that these teams may look a bit different than the All-Conference teams listed by each individual conference. Our teams mirror our All-Americans, taking into consideration not only what a player has accomplished to date but looking forward to what we expect to see based on the growth of the athlete’s career.
Offense | First team
QB: Clayton Tune, Houston
RB: Keaton Mitchell, East Carolina
RB: Jaren Mangham, USF
WR: Nathaniel Dell, Houston
WR: Ryan O’Keefe, UCF
WR: Rashee Rice, SMU
TE: Josh Whyle, Cincinnati
FLEX: Tyjae Spears, Tulane
OT: James Tunstall, Cincinnati
G: Jeremy Cooper, Cincinnati
C: Sincere Haynesworth, Tulane
G: Lorenz Metz, Cincinnati
OT: Kip Frankland, Navy
Defense | First team
EDGE: Malik Vann, Cincinnati
DT: Elijah Chatman, SMU
DT: Ricky Barber, UCF
EDGE: Derek Parish, Houston
LB: Ivan Pace Jr., Cincinnati
LB: Deshawn Pace, Cincinnati
LB: Antonio Grier, USF
CB: Jadon Canady, Tulane
CB: Arquon Bush, Cincinnati
CB: Davonte Brown, UCF
S: Rodney Owens, Memphis
S: Gervarrius Owens, Houston
FLEX: Darius Hodges, Tulane
Specialists | First team
PK: Zack Long, Tulsa
P: Lachlan Wilson, Tulsa
KR: Brian Battie, USF
PR: Ryan Montgomery, Cincinnati
LS: Alex Ward, UCF
While Cincinnati and UCF are leaving for the Big 12, Houston takes the top honors with arguably one of the best QB-WR duos in all of college football this season. Clayton Tune checked in at No. 3 overall in our FBS QB rankings this summer, while Nathaniel “Tank” Dell is one of the country’s best wideouts. Tulane returns a star in Jadon Canady, and the Pace brothers are reunited in Cincinnati. Ivan Pace Jr. transferred in from Miami to join his brother Deshawn as both land heavy preseason honors.
Offense | Second team
QB: Tanner Mordecai, SMU
RB: Tre Siggers, SMU
RB: Isaiah Bowser, UCF
WR: C.J. Johnson, East Carolina
WR: Tre Tucker, Cincinnati
WR: Xavier Weaver, USF
TE: Christian Trahan, Houston
FLEX: John Rhys Plumlee, UCF
OT: Donovan Jennings, USF
G: Joshua Pena, Navy
C: Jaylon Thomas, SMU
G: Samuel Jackson, UCF
OT: Patrick Paul, Houston
Defense | Second team
EDGE: Tre’mon Morris-Brash, UCF
DT: Elijah Morris, East Carolina
DT: DeVere Levelston, SMU
EDGE: Turner Coxie, SMU
LB: Donavan Mutin, Houston
LB: Justin Wright, Tulsa
LB: Xavier Cullens, Memphis
CB: Cameron Ruiz, Temple
CB: Malik Fleming, East Carolina
CB: Keyshawn Paul, Temple
S: Divaad Wilson, UCF
S: Quindell Johnson, Memphis
FLEX: Macon Clark, Tulane
Specialists | Second team
PK: Spencer Shrader, USF
P: Mason Fletcher, Cincinnati
KR: Bryan Massey, SMU
PR: Jha’Quan Jackson, Tulane
LS: Cayson Pfeiffer, Cincinnati
The talk of fall camp has surrounded whether or not Tanner Mordecai will win the starting job at SMU. That would be an incredibly questionable decision as Mordecai lit up scoreboards last season with his terrific play and now Second-Team All-AAC selection. Tre’mon Morris-Brash anchors a UCF defensive front four that must replace a lot of production as he’s set up for big things in 2022.
Offense | Honorable mention
QB:
Michael Pratt, Tulane
Seth Henigan, Memphis
RB:
Deneric Prince, Tulsa
Johnny Richardson, UCF
Rodrigues Clark, Memphis
Edwards Saydee, Temple
WR:
JuanCarlos Santana, Tulsa
KeSean Carter, Houston
Javon Ivory, Memphis
Jose Barbon, Temple
Keylon Stokes, Tulsa
Jimmy Horn Jr., USF
TE:
Tyrick James, Tulane
Ethan Hall, Tulsa
FLEX:
Brad Cecil, USF
Jacob Likes, Memphis
OT:
Dylan O’Quinn, Cincinnati
Isaac Moore, Temple
Bryce Bray, Tulsa
Marcus Bryant, SMU
G:
Cam’Ron Johnson, Houston
Tank Jenkins, Houston
Demetris Harris, USF
Caleb Thomas, Tulane
C:
Gerard Wheeler, Tulsa
Matthew Lee, UCF
Defense | Honorable mention
EDGE:
Jeremy Lewis, East Carolina
Jacob Busic, Navy
Wardalis Ducksworth, Memphis
Immanuel Hickman, East Carolina
DT:
Donald Berniard Jr., Navy
Keenan Hester, UCF
Jerquavion Mahone, Temple
Chidozie Nwankwo, Houston
LB:
Dwayne Boyles, USF
Jimmy Phillips Jr., SMU
Kobe Wilson, Temple
Jordan Magee, Temple
John Marshall, Navy
Ty Van Fossen, Cincinnati
CB:
Corey Thornton, UCF
Tyon Davis, Tulsa
Alex Hogan, Houston
Daquan Evans, USF
Art Green, Houston
Bryce McMorris, SMU
S:
Mekhi LaPointe, USF
Larry Brooks, Tulane
Ja’von Hicks, Cincinnati
Chase Cromartie, SMU
FLEX:
Jireh Wilson, East Carolina
Hasaan Hypolite, Houston
Specialists | Honorable mention
PK:
Owen Daffer, East Carolina
Bijan Nichols, Navy
P:
Riley Riethman, Navy
Laine Wilkins, Houston
KR:
Tre Tucker, Cincinnati
Maquel Haywood, Navy
PR:
Xavier Weaver, USF
Kamdyn Benjamin, Tulsa
LS:
Ethan Nguyen, Navy
Gavin Gately, Houston
For the rest of the Pro Football Network All-Conference Teams, view each conference here: ACC | B1G | Big 12 | Pac-12 | SEC | Independents | C-USA | MAC | MWC | Sun Belt