The 2020 preseason AP All-American teams are full of players who won’t play.
In a normal year, the release of the preseason AP All-American teams would be yet another exciting signal for the return of college football. But 2020 is not a normal year and this time it’s just a reminder of all the talent who won’t be taking the field.
A total of 23 players out of 50 selected for the first and second teams will not play in the fall. There are 16 from conferences who have canceled their fall season. The remaining seven have opted out for health reasons or a desire to prepare for the 2021 NFL Draft.
The list includes first-teamers like dominant Oregon tackle Penei Sewell, Ohio State guard Wyatt Davis, Penn State tight end Patt Freiermuth and Purdue all-purpose playmaker Rondale Moore on offense.
The defense is just as heavily with both defensive ends, Kayvon Thibodeaux and Miami’s Gregory Rousseau, out along with Pitt tackle Jaylen Twyman, Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons, Oregon State linebacker Hamilcar Rashed Jr. and Ohio State cornerback Shaun Wade.
Iowa kicker Keith Duncan is also in that number.
If award season is going to continue as normal, including All-American teams, there will have to be a pretty sizable asterisk next to 2020.
The unexpected is always possible, but you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone who doesn’t think Penei Sewell is a shoo-in for All-American honors, if not a repeat with the Outland Trophy. Would another guard who got the chance to play really take his place in the historical records? Or will AP voters write his name down on their end-of-season ballots regardless of participation?
It doesn’t seem fair either way. Not that 2020 has had much care for what is and isn’t fair.
Players with an asterisk opted out and declared for the NFL Draft. Players in italics are still on their team’s rosters but won’t be playing this fall.
Preseason AP All-American First Team
OFFENSE
Quarterback:
Trevor Lawrence, junior, Clemson
Running backs:
Chuba Hubbard, junior, Oklahoma State
Travis Etienne, senior, Clemson
Tackles:
Penei Sewell, junior, Oregon*
Alex Leatherwood, senior, Alabama
Guards:
Wyatt Davis, junior, Ohio State*
Trey Smith, senior, Tennessee
Center:
Creed Humphrey, junior, Oklahoma
Tight end:
Pat Freiermuth, junior, Penn State*
Receivers:
Ja’Marr Chase, junior, LSU
DeVonta Smith, senior, Alabama
All-purpose player:
Rondale Moore, junior, Purdue*
Kicker:
Keith Duncan, senior, Iowa*
DEFENSE
Ends:
Kayvon Thibodeaux, sophomore, Oregon*
Gregory Rousseau, junior, Miami*
Tackles:
Marvin Wilson, senior, Florida State
Jaylen Twyman, junior, Pitt*
Linebackers:
Micah Parsons, junior, Penn State*
Hamilcar Rashed Jr., senior, Oregon State*
Dylan Moses, senior, Alabama
Cornerbacks:
Derek Stingley Jr., sophomore, LSU
Shaun Wade, junior, Ohio State*
Safeties:
Richard LeCounte, senior, Georgia
Andre Cisco, junior, Syracuse
Punter:
Max Duffy, senior, Kentucky
Preseason AP All-American Second Team
OFFENSE:
Quarterback:
Justin Fields, junior, Ohio State*
Running backs:
Najee Harris, senior, Alabama
Kenneth Gainwell, sophomore, Memphis
Tackles:
Samuel Cosmi, junior, Texas
Cole Van Lanen, senior, Wisconsin*
Guards:
Nolan Laufenberg, senior, Air Force*
Alijah Vera-Tucker, junior, USC*
Center:
Tyler Linderbaum, junior, Iowa*
Tight end:
Charlie Kolar, junior, Iowa State
Receivers:
Tylan Wallace, senior, Oklahoma State
Rashod Bateman, junior, Minnesota*
All-purpose player:
Jaylen Waddle, junior, Alabama
Kicker:
Gabe Brkic, sophomore, Oklahoma
DEFENSE
Ends:
Carlos Basham, senior, Wake Forest
Quincy Roche, senior, Miami
Tackles:
Jay Tufele, junior, USC*
Levi Onwuzurike, senior, Washington*
Linebackers:
Chazz Surratt senior, North Carolina
Nick Bolton, junior, Missouri
Paddy Fisher, senior, Northwestern*
Cornerbacks:
Patrick Surtain II, junior, Alabama
Caleb Farley, junior, Virginia Tech*
Safeties:
Jevon Holland, junior, Oregon*
Trevon Moehrig, junior, TCU
Punter:
Adam Korsak, junior, Rutgers*
College football fans will, as of now, still get to see Trevor Lawrence and other star players compete this fall, but at a certain point, you have to ask: What is a college football season when half of the top players in the country won’t be suiting up? That’s 2020 for you.
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