Love, Oliver, Grier lead preseason All-America team rosters
Heisman Trophy runner-up Bryce Love of Stanford and Outland Trophy winner Ed Oliver of Houston highlight the Associated Press preseason AllAmerica team.
Chosen by AP poll voters, the team announced Tuesday also features West Virginia quarterback Will Grier and his teammate, receiver David Sills V.
Love, along with Clemson defensive end Clelin Ferrell, Wisconsin linebacker T.J. Edwards and Utah kicker Matt Gay, were the only players who made first team All-American after last season and first team to start this season. Love ran for 2,118 yards and 8.05 per carry last season and was second to Baker Mayfield in the Heisman Trophy voting.
Oliver was a second-team All-American last year after being first team as a freshman in 2016.
Clemson and Wisconsin led the way with three players on the first team. Alabama and Wisconsin each had a total of five players on the first and second teams combined.
FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
Quarterback — Will Grier, senior, West Virginia
Running backs — Bryce Love, senior, Stanford; Jonathan Taylor, sophomore, Wisconsin
Tackles — Jonah Williams, junior, Alabama; Mitch Hyatt, senior, Clemson
Guards — Beau Benzschawel, senior, Wisconsin; Nate Herbig, junior, Stanford
Center — Ross Pierschbacher, senior, Alabama
Tight end — Noah Fant, junior, Iowa
Receivers — A.J. Brown, junior, Mississippi; David Sills V, senior, West Virginia
All-purpose player — Myles Gaskin, senior, Washington
Kicker — Matt Gay, senior, Utah
DEFENSE
Ends — Nick Bosa, junior, Ohio State; Clelin Ferrell, junior, Clemson
Tackles — Ed Oliver, junior, Houston; Christian Wilkins, Senior, Clemson
Linebackers — Devin White, junior, LSU; Devin Bush, junior, Michigan; T.J. Edwards, senior, Wisconsin
Cornerbacks — Greedy Williams, sophomore, LSU; Deandre Baker, senior, Georgia
Safeties — Jaquan Johnson, senior, Miami; Taylor Rapp, junior, Washington
Punter — Mitch Wishnowsky, senior, Utah
SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
Quarterback — Trace McSorley, senior, Penn State
Running backs — A.J. Dillon, sophomore, Boston College; Damien Harris, junior, Alabama
Tackles — David Edwards, junior, Wisconsin; Greg Little, junior, Mississippi
Guards — Alex Bars, senior, Notre Dame; Michael Dieter, senior, Wisconsin
Center — Sam Mustipher, senior, Notre Dame
Tight end — Kaden Smith, junior, Stanford
Receivers — N’Keal Harry, junior, Arizona State; Anthony Johnson, senior, Buffalo
All-purpose player — Deebo Samuel, senior, South Carolina
Kicker — Rodrigo Blankenship, junior, Georgia
DEFENSE
Ends — Rashan Gary, junior, Michigan; Raekwon Davis, junior, Alabama
Tackles — Dexter Lawrence, junior, Clemson; Jeffrey Simmons, junior, Mississippi State
Linebackers — Cameron Smith, senior, Southern California; Troy Dye, junior, Oregon; Mack Wilson, sophomore, Alabama
Cornerbacks — Byron Murphy, sophomore, Washington; Julian Love, junior, Notre Dame
Safeties — Lukas Dennis, senior, Boston College; Andrew Wingard, senior, Wyoming
Punter — Jake Bailey, senior, Stanford