College football All-American team: Trevor Lawrence, SEC, Alabama headline selections

The preseason All-American team is loaded with ACC and SEC players as the Big 12 defensive talent remains slim

DE: Carlos Basham, Wake Forest

Carlos Basham was a defensive breakout star in 2019, recording 11 sacks, 18 tackles for loss, and 57 tackles his junior year. Basham is on pace to break several Wake Forest school records as he enters the 2020 season on the watchlist for the Chuck Bednarik Award, Bronko Nagurski Trophy, and the Lott IMPACT Trophy.

DT: Marvin Wilson, Florida State

Before his 2019 season was shortened due to injury, Marvin Wilson still managed to record five sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss, earning him a spot as a semi-finalist for the Bednarik Award and first-team All-ACC honors. There was speculation Wilson would opt-out for the 2020 season, but Wilson has stated he is ready to go and ready to play.

DT: Jaylen Twyman, Pittsburgh

As a sophomore, Jaylen Twyman jumped into the college football scene as he recorded 41 tackles, 10.5 sacks, 12 tackles for loss in his first full year as a starter. Now, in 2020, Twyman is one of the nation’s best defensive tackles and is the leading force of a Pitt defense that could be one of best in the ACC, and maybe even one of the best in the country.

DE: Quincy Roche, Miami (FL)

In thee years at Temple, Quincy Roche recorded 137 tackles, 26 sacks and 39.5 tackles for loss but now heads to the ACC to make his presence known. And with the departure of Rousseau, who opted out for the 2020 season, Roche should see his role and impact increased as Miami looks to get back atop the ACC.

OLB: Chazz Surratt, North Carolina

There is something being built at North Carolina, as Mack Brown looks to dethrone the Clemson Tigers in the ACC and make the Tar Heels more than just a basketball school. For 2020, linebacker Chazz Surratt will be the x-factor and leader of a defense that is set to have a dominating season. Surrat was a quarterback just two years ago for the Tar Heels but is now one of the nation’s best linebackers.

MLB: Carlton Martial, Troy

It’s hard enough to be a player from the Group of Five and be named to an All-American list just once, but Troy linebacker Carlton Martial has earned some sort of All-America list in each of his first two seasons (2018 Freshman All-American, 2019 2nd team All-American). Martial became just the 12th player and first underclassman in the last 20 years at the FBS level to finish a season with at least 100 tackles, 15 tackles for loss and three interceptions.

OLB: Nick Bolton, Missouri

At the beginning of 2019, Nick Bolton was just another name on the Tigers’ roster. But as a sophomore, Nick Bolton racked up 107 tackles, which put him atop of the SEC. And now that his name has been made known, Bolton is looking to build off his breakout season in 2019 and lead the Missouri Tigers to their first SEC East division title since 2014.

CB: Derek Stingley Jr., LSU

The LSU Tigers lost some pretty big names from their championship team, but one of the biggest names returning is Derek Stingley Jr. As a freshman, Stingley was fifth in the nation in interceptions (6) and second in the nation in passes defended (21), earning him not only freshman All-American honors but consensus All-American honors as well. Stingley still has a lot of time left at LSU but is already the best corner in the country.

CB: Patrick Surtain II, Alabama

As a sophomore, Patrick Surtain II stuffed the stats sheet, recording 42 tackles, three forced fumbles. one fumble recovery, two interceptions, and eight pass breakups, earning him honorable mention All-America honors. Alabama looks to get back to the playoff and the national title game, and Patrick Surtain II will play an important role in doing so.

S: Richard LeCounte, Georgia

Being productive and consistent with that production is crucial to building yourself a name to be known in all of college football and that is exactly what Georgia safety Richard LeCounte embodies. LeCounte recorded a career-high four interceptions last season and was one of the nation’s best open-field tacklers.

S: Andre Cisco, Syracuse

Aside from a 10-win season in 2018, there has not been much to cheer about if you are a Syracuse fan. But Syracuse has had a few talented guys come through their program but none more talented than Andre Cisco. Cisco missed thee games last year but still ranked first in the conference and seventh in the nation in interceptions (5). In his freshman year, Cisco recorded seven interceptions. It’s safe to say this kid has a knack of tracking down the ball in the air.