Video: Engram, Six ‘Bama Players Named All-Americans

COLUMBUS, MISS. (AP) — No. 1 Alabama placed four players on The Associated Press All-America team, most of any school, and Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson and fellow Heisman Trophy finalists Jabrill Peppers of Michigan and Dede Westbrook of Oklahoma were also first-team selections.

The Crimson Tide and No. 2 Ohio State tied for the most players on the three All-America teams released Monday with six. No. 3 Clemson had five players on the three teams, but none on the first team. Washington, which has a spot in the College Football Playoff team along with Alabama, Ohio State and Clemson, had two players on the second team.

Jackson won the Heisman Saturday , finishing well ahead of Clemson’s Deshaun Watson and Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield. The three quarterbacks lined up similarly on the All-America teams with Watson second-team and Mayfield third-team.

____

ALL-AMERICA POINTS

– The Crimson Tide’s top-ranked defense placed three players on the first team, one at each level: Defensive lineman Jonathan Allen; linebacker Reuben Foster; defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick. Offensive tackle Cam Robinson was the fourth Tide All-American. Outside linebacker Tim Williams was a second-team selection and tight end O.J. Howard made the third team.

– Ohio State put center Pat Elflein on the first team with safety Malik Hooker and H-back Curtis Samuel, who was selected as an all-purpose player. Guard Billy Price and linebacker Raekwon McMillan made the second team.

– Clemson defensive tackle Carlos Watkins joined Watson on the second team and the Tigers had defensive tackle Christian Wilkins, cornerback Cordrea Tankersley and linebacker Ben Boulware on the third team.

– Washington’s two second-teamers were safety Budda Baker and receivers John Ross.

FABULOUS FRESHMAN

Houston defensive tackle Ed Oliver is the first freshman to be selected to the first-team since 2011 when Clemson’s Sammy Watkins made it as an all-purpose player and LSU punter Brad Wing also was picked.

Oliver had 19 tackles for loss to help lead a defense that ranks second in the nation in rushing defense at 2.83 yards per carry.

PROMOTIONS

Elflein was one of three players who made the second team last season to make the first team this season. Florida State running back Dalvin Cook and Michigan cornerback Jourdan Lewis also earned promotions.

There were no players who repeated as first-team All-Americans.

DEMOTIONS

Watson went from first-team All-America last season as a sophomore to second this year and Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey did the same. McCaffrey was first-team as an all-purpose player last year and a second-team pick at running back this season.

FIRST-TIMER

Western Michigan receiver Corey Davis is the first player in school history to be an AP first-team All-American.

CONFERENCE CALL

Players on first team broken down by conference

SEC – 8

Big Ten – 7

Pac-12 – 4

ACC – 2

Big 12 – 2

American – 1

MAC – 1

THE TEAMS

FIRST TEAM

OFFENSE

Quarterback – Lamar Jackson, sophomore, 6-foot-3, 205 pounds, Louisville

Running backs – D’Onta Foreman, junior, 6-2, 249, Texas; Dalvin Cook, junior, 5-11, 213, Florida State

Tackles – Cam Robinson, junior, 6-6, 310, Alabama; Ryan Ramczyk, junior, 6-6, 314, Wisconsin

Guards – Cody O’Connell, junior, 6-8, 354, Washington State; Dan Feeney, senior, 6-4, 305, Indiana.

Center – Pat Elflein, senior, 6-3, 300, Ohio State

Tight end – Evan Engram, senior, 6-3, 235, Mississippi

Wide receivers – Dede Westbrook, senior, 6-0, 176, Oklahoma; Corey Davis, senior, 6-3, 213, Western Michigan

All-purpose player – Curtis Samuel, junior, 5-11 197, Ohio State

Kicker – Zane Gonzalez, senior, 6-1, 195, Arizona State

DEFENSE

Ends – Myles Garrett, junior, 6-5, 270, Texas A&M; Derek Barnett, junior, 6-3, 265, Tennessee

Tackles – Jonathan Allen, junior, 6-3, 291, Alabama; Ed Oliver, freshman, 6-2, 290, Houston

Linebackers – Reuben Foster, senior, 6-1, 228, Alabama; Zach Cunningham, junior, 6-2, 230, Vanderbilt; Jabrill Peppers, junior, 6-1, 205, Michigan

Cornerbacks – Jourdan Lewis, senior, 5-11, 186, Michigan; Adoree’ Jackson, junior, 5-11, 185, Southern California

Safeties – Malik Hooker, sophomore, 6-2, 205, Ohio State; Minkah Fitzpatrick, sophomore, 6-1, 200, Alabama

Punter – Mitch Wishnowsky, sophomore, 6-2, 220, Utah

___

SECOND TEAM

OFFENSE

Quarterback – Deshaun Watson, junior, Clemson

Running backs – Donnel Pumphrey, senior, San Diego State; Christian McCaffrey, junior, Stanford

Tackles – Connor Williams, sophomore, Texas; Orlando Brown, sophomore, Oklahoma

Guards – Billy Price, junior, Ohio State; Will Hernandez, junior, UTEP

Center – Tyler Orlosky, senior, West Virginia

Tight end – Jake Butt, senior, Michigan

Wide receivers – Zay Jones, senior, East Carolina; John Ross, junior, Washington

All-purpose player – Quadree Henderson, sophomore, Pitt

Kicker – Daniel Carlson, junior, Auburn

DEFENSE

Ends – DeMarcus Walker, senior, Florida State; Harold Landry, junior, Boston College

Tackles – Carlos Watkins, senior, Clemson; Montravius Adams, senior, Auburn

Linebackers – Raekwon McMillan, junior, Ohio State; T.J. Watt, junior, Wisconsin; Tim Williams, senior, Alabama

Cornerbacks – Rasul Douglas, senior, West Virginia; Desmond King, senior, Iowa

Safeties – Budda Baker, junior, Washington; Jamal Adams, junior, LSU

Punter – Cameron Johnston, senior, Ohio State

___

THIRD TEAM

OFFENSE

Quarterback – Baker Mayfield, junior, Oklahoma

Running backs – Saquon Barkley, sophomore, Penn State; Aaron Jones, junior, UTEP

Tackles – Mike McGlinchey, senior, Notre Dame; Forrest Lamp, senior, Western Kentucky

Guards – Nico Siragusa, senior, San Diego State; Quenton Nelson, junior, Notre Dame

Center – Ethan Pocic, senior, LSU

Tight end – O.J. Howard, senior, Alabama

Wide receivers – Amba Etta-Tawo, senior, Syracuse; Austin Carr, senior, Northwestern

All-purpose player – Christian Kirk, sophomore, Texas A&M

Kicker – Gary Wunderlich, junior, Mississippi

DEFENSE

Ends – Hunter Dimick, senior, Utah; Jordan Willis, senior, Kansas State

Tackles – Christian Wilkins, sophomore, Clemson; Solomon Thomas, junior, Stanford

Linebackers – Kendell Beckwith, senior, LSU; Jimmie Gilbert, senior, Colorado; Ben Boulware, senior, Clemson

Cornerbacks – Teez Tabor, junior, Florida; Cordrea Tankersley, senior, Clemson

Safeties – Nathan Gerry, senior, Nebraska; Weston Steelhammer, senior, Air Force

Punter – Michael Dickson, sophomore, Texas