The 2025 Sporting News preseason All-America team underscores the concentration of elite talent among a handful of top programs, strengthening the case for the new 12-team College Football Playoff. Half of the 58 players selected to the first and second teams come from schools that competed in the 2024 CFP.
Seven powerhouse schools dominate the selections, accounting for nearly half of all honorees. Texas leads the nation with five selections, including three first-team players: quarterback Arch Manning, linebacker Anthony Hill Jr., and safety Michael Taaffe. Ohio State, Clemson, and Alabama each placed four players on the list, while Georgia, Penn State, and Oregon each earned three spots.
From a conference perspective, the SEC boasts a leading 23 selections, followed by the Big Ten with 16, the ACC with 13, and the Big 12 with four. Notre Dame is represented by two players.
Sporting News is one of five outlets used to determine consensus All-American status at the end of the season. Here is a look at our 2025 Preseason All-America team.
First-Team Offense
QB: Arch Manning, Texas
Living up to his considerable hype, Manning threw for 939 yards, nine touchdowns, and two interceptions in a backup role last season. He demonstrated deep-threat capability with four touchdowns on passes of 20-plus yards and added 108 yards and four touchdowns on the ground. This dual-threat skill set is poised to flourish in a talented Texas offense.
RB: Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame
Love amassed 1,125 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns last season, but his efficiency suggests even greater potential. With an explosive-play rate of 14.7% (runs of 10-plus yards) and an average of 6.9 yards per carry, a full workload could lead to a monumental season.
RB: Isaac Brown, Louisville
Brown was a breakout star in 2024, rushing for 1,173 yards and 11 touchdowns at an impressive 7.1 yards per carry. He was particularly dominant down the stretch, averaging 123.3 yards in Louisville’s final three games. With 18.9% of his carries going for 10 or more yards, Brown is a threat for a monster year, even in a timeshare.
WR: Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State
Already a Heisman Trophy favorite as a sophomore, Smith proved his mettle in the College Football Playoff, catching 19 passes for 382 yards. He finished his freshman campaign with 76 catches for 1,311 yards and 15 touchdowns, and his imposing size and speed put him on track to be Ohio State’s next first-team All-American receiver.
WR: Ryan Williams, Alabama
Another sensational sophomore, Williams averaged 18.0 yards per reception en route to 865 yards and eight touchdowns as a freshman. His big-play ability was on full display in a 41-34 victory over Georgia, where he had a 75-yard touchdown. The addition of offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb should help him become an even more consistent playmaker.
WR: Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State
Despite having his 2024 season cut short by a collarbone injury, Tyson still posted 75 catches for 1,098 yards and 10 touchdowns. A versatile threat with five 100-yard games, he will look to maintain a strong connection with quarterback Sam Leavitt as the Sun Devils defend their Big 12 title.
TE: Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt
Stowers was remarkably reliable last season, posting a 74.6% catch rate while recording 50 receptions for 644 yards and five touchdowns. With three 100-yard games, including a 113-yard performance against Alabama, he has a legitimate chance to become Vanderbilt’s first consensus All-American since 2016.
T: Spencer Fano, Utah
An elite NFL prospect, Fano allowed just one sack and two quarterback hits all of last season. Capable of playing either tackle position, the all-Big 12 lineman comes from a strong NFL lineage and is poised to become Utah’s first consensus All-American on the offensive line since 2002.
G: Olaivavega Ioane, Penn State
A key blocker for a Penn State offense that featured two 1,000-yard rushers, Ioane was a dominant force. He did not allow a single sack or quarterback hit while clearing paths for one of the nation’s most relentless ground attacks.
C: Jake Slaughter, Florida
Slaughter is a top contender for the Rimington Trophy after a season in which he allowed only one sack and no quarterback hits over 800 snaps. He will be the crucial interior protector for breakout quarterback candidate DJ Lagway.
G: Ar’maj Reed-Adams, Texas A&M
After transferring from Kansas, Reed-Adams allowed just one sack and steadily improved as a run blocker for the Aggies. His experience, which includes 31 games played at Kansas, will be a major asset for second-year coach Mike Elko.
T: Francis Mauigoa, Miami
A potential future No. 1 overall pick, Mauigoa is a two-year starter at right tackle who surrendered just one sack last season. He will be the primary protector for transfer quarterback Carson Beck and is expected to continue his development into one of the nation’s elite tackles.
AP: Desmond Reid, Pitt
One of the toughest pound-for-pound players in the FBS, Reid is a true all-purpose weapon. He totaled 966 rushing yards, 579 receiving yards, and 159 punt return yards with a touchdown. After a successful transition from the FCS, he should be even more productive in his second year at Pitt.
First-Team Defense
DL: Tim Keenan III, Alabama
A massive interior presence for the Crimson Tide, Keenan III totaled 40 tackles and eight tackles for loss last season. He was particularly effective late in the year, recording 12 tackles and three TFLs in Alabama’s final four games.
DL: Peter Woods, Clemson
Continuing Clemson’s tradition of dominant interior linemen, Woods recorded nine tackles for loss and three sacks as a sophomore. He finished the season strong with two TFLs in the ACC championship and CFP, and he will be key to improving the Tigers’ run defense.
EDGE: T.J. Parker, Clemson
Parker delivered one of the most dominant single-game performances of 2024, logging 10 tackles and four sacks against Pitt. The instinctual pass rusher finished the year with 12 sacks and six forced fumbles, positioning himself to be Clemson’s next first-round defensive lineman.
EDGE: Dylan Stewart, South Carolina
Stewart showed flashes of dominance as a freshman reminiscent of Jadeveon Clowney. While he recorded seven sacks, he generated 17 quarterback hurries in the final five games alone, signaling his potential for a double-digit sack total as a sophomore.
LB: Kyle Louis, Pitt
A returning Sporting News All-American, Louis was the only Power Four linebacker to record 100 tackles, seven sacks, and four interceptions last season. He is a disruptive force who consistently produces against top competition.
LB: Anthony Hill Jr., Texas
Hill continues to validate his five-star billing, becoming one of just five FBS players with at least 100 tackles and seven sacks in 2024. He also added 17 tackles for loss and five forced fumbles, anchoring what should be another playoff-caliber defense.
LB: Aiden Fisher, Indiana
After transferring from James Madison with coach Curt Cignetti, Fisher remains a highly productive linebacker. A second-team SN All-American in 2024, he recorded 10 or more tackles in five games, including standout performances against Michigan and Notre Dame.
CB: Jermod McCoy, Tennessee
McCoy thrived after transferring from Oregon State, grabbing four interceptions and nine pass breakups while allowing just a 50% completion rate. A physical corner with an NFL trajectory, he could become Tennessee’s first consensus All-American in the secondary since Eric Berry (2008-09).
CB: Leonard Moore, Notre Dame
Following a fantastic freshman year, Moore is the third consecutive Notre Dame cornerback to make our preseason team. He had 48 tackles, two interceptions, and 11 pass breakups while holding opposing quarterbacks to a 46.4% completion rate when targeting him.
S: Caleb Downs, Ohio State
Arguably the best returning defensive back in college football, Downs is a versatile playmaker who made both the preseason and final All-American teams last year. He totaled 82 tackles, eight tackles for loss, and two sacks while excelling in coverage.
S: Michael Taaffe, Texas
The leader of the Longhorns’ secondary, Taaffe recorded 78 tackles, two interceptions, and 10 pass breakups in 2024. The fifth-year defensive back provides crucial veteran leadership for a defense with championship aspirations.
DB: Dillon Thieneman, Oregon
After averaging 105 tackles over the last two seasons at Purdue, Thieneman brings his production to Oregon. A ball-hawk who tied for second in the Big Ten with six interceptions in 2023, he is an ideal fit for defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi’s system.
First-Team Specialists
K: Dominic Zvada, Michigan
A returning first-team All-American, Zvada was perfect on field goals of 40-plus yards, including an incredible 7-for-7 mark from 50 or more yards. His clutch kicking included a game-winner against Ohio State.
P: Brett Thorson, Georgia
Thorson averaged an impressive 47.6 yards per punt and limited opponents to just 5.4 yards per return. He is expected to be fully recovered from a non-contact knee injury and ready for the season opener.
KR: Keelan Marion, Miami
Marion averaged 26.7 yards per return with two touchdowns for BYU in 2024 before transferring to Miami. He provides an explosive element that the Hurricanes haven’t seen since Devin Hester in 2004.
PR: Kam Shanks, Arkansas
Shanks was an elite returner for UAB last season, averaging 20.6 yards per punt return with two touchdowns. He now brings his big-play ability to the SEC, where he will get more national attention.
Second-Team Offense
QB: Cade Klubnik, Clemson
RB: Makhi Hughes, Oregon
RB: Nick Singleton, Penn State
WR: Eric Rivers, Georgia Tech
WR: Antonio Williams, Clemson
WR: Carnell Tate, Ohio State
TE: Tanner Koziol, Houston
T: Kadyn Proctor, Alabama
G: Cayden Green, Missouri
C: Iapani Laloulu, Oregon
G: Jaeden Roberts, Alabama
T: Gennings Dunker, Iowa
AP: Quintrevion Wisner, Texas
Second-Team Defense
DL: Zane Durant, Penn State
DL: Reuben Bain Jr., Miami
EDGE: Suntarine Perkins, Ole Miss
EDGE: Colin Simmons, Texas
LB: Sonny Styles, Ohio State
LB: CJ Allen, Georgia
LB: Whit Weeks, LSU
CB: D’Angelo Ponds, Indiana
CB: Chandler Rivers, Duke
S: KJ Bolden, Georgia
S: Koi Perich, Minnesota
DB: Isaiah Nwokobia, SMU
Second-Team Specialists
K: Peyton Woodring, Georgia
P: Palmer Williams, Baylor
KR: Rayshawn Pleasant, Auburn
PR: Kaden Wetjen, Iowa
