USA TODAY International Edition
Freshman All- American team
Howell, Stingley lead college squad
The USA TODAY Sports freshman All- American team represents the next wave of stars to hit the Bowl Subdivision.
It’s a group led on offense by North Carolina quarterback Sam Howell, who broke the Atlantic Coast Conference record for passing yards by any freshman and set an FBS mark for TD passes by a true freshman, and Memphis running back Kenneth Gainwell, who accounted for nearly 2,000 yards of offense in leading the Tigers to the Cotton Bowl.
On the defensive side, no freshman nationally made a bigger impact than LSU cornerback Derek Stingley Jr., who made six interceptions for the top seed in the College Football Playoff.
The team includes a mix of players from the Group of Five and Power Five, along with several key contributors from teams in New Year’s Six bowls. There are 11 players on offense, 11 on defense, three specialists and one all- purpose selection who excelled in multiple ways.
QB: Sam Howell, North Carolina
Howell threw for at least two TDs in every game and at least 227 yards in every game but three in leading UNC to a bowl berth in coach Mack Brown’s first season back with the program.
RB: Kenneth Gainwell, Memphis
RB: Breece Hall, Iowa State
Gainwell ran for 1,425 yards, caught 44 passes for 532 yards and accounted for 15 total touchdowns in providing highlight- reel plays on a weekly basis for the best team from the Group of Five. Hall ( 842 yards) averaged just under 5 yards per carry and averaged 108.3 yards per game in the Cyclones’ last seven games.
WR: David Bell, Purdue
WR: C. J Johnson, East Carolina
TE: Jalen Wydermyer, Texas A& M
Bell led the Big Ten in receptions ( 86) and finished third in receiving yards ( 1,035) in supplanting injured Rondale Moore as the Boilermakers’ top offensive weapon. Johnson ranked third among freshmen in receptions ( 54) and second to Bell in yardage ( 908). Wydermyer ( team- best six receiving touchdowns) was the most productive and dependable freshman tight end in the FBS.
OL: Sean Rhyan, UCLA
OL: Evan Neal, Alabama
OL: Dohnovan West, Arizona State
OL: Trevor Downing, Iowa State
OL: Wayna Morris, Tennessee
Rhyan allowed just one sack after taking over the starting job at left tackle early in the season. Neal was excellent at left guard for Alabama and has the potential to develop into a starter on the blind side. West shuffled between two interior spots but found a home at right guard and helped ASU’s Eno Benjamin run for 1,000 yards for the second year in a row. Downing earned all- conference honorable mention honors and is the centerpiece of the Cyclones’ line moving forward. Morris was just the second UT true freshman in more than 30 years to start at left tackle.
DL: George Karlaftis, Purdue
DL: Tyler Davis, Clemson
DL: Gregory Rousseau, Miami ( Florida)
DL: Kayvon Thibodeaux, Oregon
A loaded position group. Karlaftis ( 17.0 tackles for loss) exceeded even his five- star billing and is one of the most promising underclassmen in the country. Davis ( three sacks) helped Clemson’s defense offset the loss of last season’s entire starting line and remain among the nation’s best. Rousseau flew under the radar during a subpar season but led all freshmen in sacks ( 14) and tackles for loss ( 18). The nation’s No. 1 prospect in the 2019 cycle, Thibodeaux ( 14 tackles for loss) provided a huge spark for Oregon’s stout defense.
LB: Christian Harris, Alabama
LB: Omar Speights, Oregon State
LB: Henry To’o To’o, Tennessee
Harris ( 54 tackles) and To’o To’o ( 64 tackles) held key roles as freshmen in the Southeastern Conference and showed enormous growth during the second half of the season. Speights finished with 73 tackles and 31⁄2 sacks for a vastly improved Oregon State defense.
CB: Derek Stingley Jr., LSU
CB: Ahmad Gardner, Cincinnati
S: Kyle Hamilton, Notre Dame
S: Ar’Darius Washington, TCU
Stingley was a USA TODAY Sports first- team All- American pick. Gardner was an all- conference pick after making three interceptions and returning two for touchdowns. Hamilton was superb in coverage for the Irish and will contend for All- American honors as a sophomore. Washington was a bright spot during an underwhelming season for TCU, finishing third on the team in tackles and leading the way with five interceptions.
K: Cade York, LSU
P: Austin McNamara, Texas Tech
RET: Joshua Youngblood, Kansas State
AP: Wan’Dale Robinson, Nebraska
York made 21 field goals for No. 1 LSU, including four from beyond 50 yards. McNamara led all freshmen and ranked 17th nationally in averaging 45 yards per punt. Youngblood averaged a jaw- dropping 38.1 yards per kickoff return and led the FBS with three touchdown returns. Robinson ran for 340 yards, had 453 yards receiving and 236 return yards to go with five touchdowns.