College football 2018: FanSided preseason All-American team

Will Grier, Bryce Love, Ed Oliver, Nick Bosa and the college football superstars who make up the 2018 FanSided preseason All-American team.

That familiar feeling is back as it’s almost time to get ready to spend the next four months attached to our couch as fans spend hours and hours watching college football.

While the game has seen far too many ugly stories off the field, there are plenty of attractions to the on-field product. Despite an exodus of star players like Baker Mayfield, Saquon Barkley, Sam Darnold and Lamar Jackson, among others, off to the NFL, there are plenty of returning stars who will assume a bigger share of the spotlight this year and there’s room for newcomers to play their way into the spotlight.

This year’s preseason All-American team features future Heisman candidates and first round NFL Draft picks. It also features players who are going to ball out on Saturday for the next four months and into bowl season.

I’m willing to bet at least two of my running backs and quarterback selected for this All-American team will be among the finalists for the Heisman Trophy in December.

First team offense

First-Team Defense

If last year was the year of the quarterback in college football, this year is the year of the defensive lineman. All four of my first-team defensive linemen are going to be picked in the first half of the 2019 NFL Draft and there are another half-dozen or so players who aren’t far off from the level of these four.

I could have included Dexter Lawrence, Clelin Ferrell, Austin Bryant, Jeffery Simmons, Montez Sweat and Raekwon Davis in this group and felt good about it. This just speaks to the talent and the depth of defensive linemen this year. 1/3 the first round of next year’s draft could be defensive linemen.

Linebacker and the secondary isn’t as deep or as strong at the top compared to the defensive line, but the back seven is rangy, fast, quick, instinctive and ready to have another productive season. LSU prides itself on being “DBU” and their claim to turning out the best defensive backs is strengthened with the play of Greedy Williams who is the Tigers’ best corner since Tre’Davious White who looked like a future stud after his rookie season with the Buffalo Bills.

Specialists

It wouldn’t be an All-American team without paying proper respect to the specialists. Think of how many games are won or lost because of plays on special teams. It’s a lot. The kickers, punters and return men change games with their play and these are the best in the country this year.