NCAA 2022 Preseason All-America Teams

The 2022 college football season is just around the corner, and we have you covered with everything you need to know ahead of an exciting year of games. In this article, I’ll break down my preseason selections for the 2022 All-America teams with players from throughout the FBS. Let’s dive in.

All-America First Team

Quarterback: Bryce Young, Alabama
Running Back: Bijan Robinson, Texas
Running Back: Sean Tucker, Syracuse
Wide Receiver: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Ohio State
Wide Receiver: Jordan Addison, USC
All-Purpose: Deuce Vaughn, Kansas State
Tight End: Brock Bowers, Georgia
Offensive Line: Peter Skoronski, Northwestern
Offensive Line: Andrew Vorhees, USC
Offensive Line: Jarrett Patterson, Notre Dame
Offensive Line: Connor Galvin, Baylor
Offensive Line: Dawand Jones, Ohio State

Defensive Line: Will Anderson Jr., Alabama
Defensive Line: Jalen Carter, Georgia
Defensive Line: Bryan Bresee, Clemson
Defensive Line: Nolan Smith, Georgia
Linebacker: Noah Sewell, Oregon
Linebacker: Trenton Simpson, Clemson
Linebacker: Ivan Pace Jr., Cincinnati
Defensive Back: Eli Ricks, Alabama
Defensive Back: Cam Smith, South Carolina
Defensive Back: Antonio Johnson, Texas A&M
Defensive Back: Jordan Battle, Alabama

Kicker: Jake Moody, Michigan
Punter: Adam Korsak, Rutgers
Kick Returner: Bryan Massey, SMU
Punt Returner: Tayvion Robinson, Kentucky

Reigning Heisman winner Bryce Young headlines the All-America First Team along with his Alabama teammate Will Anderson Jr., the reigning Bronko Nagurski Trophy winner as the best defensive player in the country. Those two players are strong bets to repeat those accolades, and they are a huge reason why the Crimson Tide are the preseason favorite to win the national championship.

Jordan Addison won the Biletnikoff Award last year as the best wide receiver in the country, and he joins Jaxson Smith-Njigba on the All-America First Team. Addison will be a driving force in returning USC to the national conversation, while Smith-Njigba led Ohio State in receiving last year despite playing alongside two 2021 NFL first-rounders.

Not to be outdone by the receivers, the returning running back talent in the FBS is excellent. Deuce Vaughn had over 1,800 yards from scrimmage and 22 touchdowns last year, and Bijan Robinson is considered one of the best NFL prospects at the position in recent memory. Sean Tucker played on a poor Syracuse offense and still ran for almost 1,500 yards last year.

Eli Ricks and Jordan Battle are joining teammate Will Anderson on defense, which should make the Crimson Tide secondary among the best in the country. Georgia may have lost five defensive players who were selected in the first round of the NFL draft, but they return two high-profile defensive linemen in Jalen Carter, who might be the best player from last year’s bunch, and Nolan Smith.

All-America Second Team

Quarterback: C.J. Stroud, Ohio State
Running Back: Blake Corum, Michigan
Running Back: Braelon Allen, Wisconsin
Wide Receiver: Kayshon Boutte, LSU
Wide Receiver: Xavier Worthy, Texas
All-Purpose: TreVeyon Henderson, Ohio State
Tight End: Michael Mayer, Notre Dame
Offensive Line: Paris Johnson Jr., Ohio State
Offensive Line: O’Cyrus Torrence, Florida
Offensive Line: John Michael Schmitz, Minnesota
Offensive Line: Caleb Chandler, Louisville
Offensive Line: Cooper Beebe, Kansas State

Defensive Line: Nick Herbig, Wisconsin
Defensive Line: Calijah Kancey, Pittsburgh
Defensive Line: Jaxon Player, Baylor
Defensive Line: Andre Carter II, Army
Linebacker: Troy Brown, Ole Miss
Linebacker: Carlton Martial, Troy
Linebacker: Drake Thomas, NC State
Defensive Back: Clark Phillips III, Utah
Defensive Back: Kelee Ringo, Georgia
Defensive Back: Brandon Joseph, Notre Dame
Defensive Back: Tykee Smith, Georgia

Kicker: Noah Ruggles, Ohio State
Punter: Kyle Ostendorp, Arizona
Kick Returner: Brian Battie, South Florida
Punt Returner: Ainias Smith, Texas A&M

The All-America Second Team here is full of Big Ten offensive talent. C.J. Stroud is a top candidate for the Heisman trophy. He’s joined by fellow Buckeyes running back TreVeyon Henderson and offensive tackle Paris Johnson Jr., the latter of whom is a projected NFL first-round pick. Running backs Blake Corum and Braelon Allen are poised for massive seasons, while John Michael Schmitz is arguably the best center in the country.

Georgia throws two more defenders into the ring here in defensive backs Kelee Ringo and Tykee Smith. Ringo had the huge pick-six in the national championship win. Among a talented group on this list, keep an eye on Andre Carter II. The Army edge rusher is a former two-star recruit, but he arrived on the national radar with 15.5 sacks last year. NFL scouts will often be in West Point to watch him play this year.

All-America Third Team

Quarterback: Caleb Williams, USC
Running Back: Lew Nichols III, Central Michigan
Running Back: Zach Charbonnet, UCLA
Wide Receiver: Josh Downs, North Carolina
Wide Receiver: A.T. Perry, Wake Forest
All-Purpose: Jahmyr Gibbs, Alabama
Tight End: Brant Kuithe, Utah
Offensive Line: Jordan McFadden, Clemson
Offensive Line: Clark Barrington, BYU
Offensive Line: Olusegun Oluwatimi, Michigan
Offensive Line: T.J. Bass, Oregon
Offensive Line: Zion Nelson, Miami

Defensive Line: Felix Anudike-Uzomah, Kansas State
Defensive Line: Gervon Dexter, Florida
Defensive Line: Brandon Dorlus, Oregon
Defensive Line: Will McDonald IV, Iowa State
Linebacker: Edefuan Ulofoshio, Washington
Linebacker: Bumper Pool, Arkansas
Linebacker: Darius Muasau, UCLA
Defensive Back: Riley Moss, Iowa
Defensive Back: D.J. Turner, Michigan
Defensive Back: Andrew Mukuba, Clemson
Defensive Back: Christopher Smith, Georgia

Kicker: Harrison Mevis, Missouri
Punter: Nik Constantinou, Texas A&M
Kick Returner: Malik Knowles, Kansas State
Punt Returner: Jayden Reed, Michigan State

Lew Nichols II, the leading rusher in the FBS last year, headlines the All-America Third Team, and it’s not out of the range of possibilities that he could run for 2,000 yards for Central Michigan this season. Caleb Williams is the quarterback on the Third Team, and he has high expectations as he follows Lincoln Riley to Los Angeles. Fellow Pac-12 talents join him here in running back Zach Charbonnet, tight end Brant Kuithe and offensive lineman T.J. Bass.

Bass’s Oregon teammate is also on this roster, and former five-star Brandon Dorlus could be poised for a First-Team All-America caliber season if he can stay healthy. One of the stars of a loaded Clemson defense, Andrew Mukuba, is on this roster after winning the ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year award. Riley Moss and D.J. Turner join him in the secondary after being featured on the Athletic’s Bruce Feldman’s Freaks List this season.