Who are the best and brightest stars going into the 2020 season? The CFN Preseason All-America Team – the defense.
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They’re the biggest stars and best players going into the 2020 college football season. They’re the top defensive players for the CFN preseason All-America team.
2020 CFN All-Conference Teams
ACC | Big Ten | Big 12 | Pac-12 | SEC
AAC | C-USA | Ind | MAC | M-West | Sun Belt
– CFN Preview 2020: All 130 Team Previews
CFN 2020 Preseason All-America Defense
DTs | LBs | CBs | Safeties
CFN 2020 All-America Defensive Ends
CFN 2020 First Team All-America Defensive Ends
1. Gregory Rousseau, Soph. Miami
The 6-6, 260-pound pass rushing star should be just as good, if not better, with Temple transfer Quincy Roche on the other side taking away a whole lot of attention.
Rousseau came up with 15.5 sacks, 19.5 tackles for loss, and 54 tackles along with seven quarterback hurries, and as a top pro prospect in a salary drive, it should all continue.
2. Kayvon Thibodeaux, Soph. Oregon
This is working out just fine. The Ducks landed one of the nation’s top recruits last season – if not the one of ones – and he stepped in and became a factor right away. Expect a whole lot more from the 6-5, 242-pound next-level talent who made nine sacks, 14 tackles for loss, and 34 stops in his true freshman season.
CFN 2020 Preseason All-America Offense
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | Cs | OGs | OTs
CFN 2020 Second Team All-America Defensive Ends
3. Carlos Basham, Sr. Wake Forest
In a conference LOADED with pass rushers – several ACC defensive ends who didn’t make the list could’ve been on with no question – Basham is able to stand out. The 6-5, 275-pounder has ideal size to go along with the quickness and talent to get behind the line, making 11 sacks, 18 tackles for loss, and 13 quarterback hurries.
4. DeAngelo Malone, Sr. WKU
And the nation’s leading returning defensive lineman in tackles for loss is … ? Malone has been a menace over the last two seasons, following up a 60-tackle, six-sack, nine-tackle-for-loss sophomore season with 99 tackles with 11.5 sacks, 21 tackles for loss and 16 quarterback hurries last year. The 6-4, 230-pound is as consistent as any end in college football.
CFN 2020 Honorable Mention All-America Defensive Ends
5. Wyatt Hubert, Jr. Kansas State
6. George Karlaftis, Soph. Purdue
7. Eli Howard, Sr. Texas Tech
8. Quincy Roche, Sr. Miami
9. Dom Peterson, Jr. Nevada
10. Shaka Toney, Sr. Penn State
11. Rashad Weaver, Sr. Pitt
12. Zach Harrison, Soph. Ohio State
NEXT: CFN 2020 All-America Defensive Tackles
CFN 2020 All-America Defensive Tackles
CFN 2020 First Team All-America Defensive Tackles
1. Marvin Wilson, Sr. Florida State
The leader of the Seminole defense on and off the field, he should be on the inside of an NFL defensive front right now, but instead he’s back as the best all-around tackle in the college game. The 6-5, 311-pounder made 44 tackles with five sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss as the anchor.
2. Jaylen Twyman, Jr. Pitt
While he might not have the exact right NFL body and frame, the 6-2, 290-pounder has elite quickness as one of the several star playmakers in the backfield on the Panther defensive front. He made 10.5 sacks, 12 tackles for loss, and 41 tackles, and with this line he won’t see a whole lot of double-teaming.
CFN 2020 Second Team All-America Defensive Tackles
3. Jay Tufele, Jr. USC
A tough guy who can also get into the backfield, the 6-3, 305-pounder is strong enough to be an anchor who stuffs everything against the run. He made 42 tackles with 4.5 sacks and 6.5 tackles for loss with the ability to move around where needed.
4. Darius Stills, Sr. West Virginia
Darius and his brother Dante are both killers for the West Virginia defensive front, combining for 26.5 tackles for loss and 14 sacks. Dante is a wee bit bigger, Darius is a wee bit more active. They’re both good enough to be All-Americans.
CFN 2020 Honorable Mention All-America Defensive Tackles
5. Tyler Davis, Soph. Clemson
6. Dante Stills, Jr. West Virginia
7. Cameron Thomas, Soph. San Diego State
7. Jordan Davis, Jr. Georgia
8. Nyles Pinckney, Sr. Clemson
9. Levi Onwuzurike, Sr. Washington
10. Elijah Ponder, Sr. Cincinnati
11. Tyler Shelvin, Jr. LSU
12. Isaiahh Loudermilk, Sr. Wisconsin (DE)
NEXT: CFN 2020 All-America Linebackers
CFN 2020 All-America Linebackers
CFN 2020 First Team All-America Linebackers
1. Micah Parsons, Jr. Penn State
It’s a little bit unfair to a great all-around Penn State defense to give too much credit to one guy, but the 6-3, 245-pound Parsons deserves the recognition. The one-time super-recruit more than lived up to the billing so far, coming off a huge year with 109 tackles with five sacks, 14 tackles for loss, and four forced fumbles. He can do it all.
2. Dylan Moses, Jr. Alabama
If it seemed like the Alabama defense was missing its normal thump last year, that’s because it was missing its thumper. The 6-3, 233-pound Moses missed the season with a knee injury, but now he’s back with something to prove. He made 86 tackles with 3.5 sacks and ten tackles for loss in 2018.
3. Nick Bolton, Jr. Missouri
While he’s not a national name, and it’s tough to stand out as a defensive player in the SEC, the 6-0, 235-pound Bolton is about to blow up as the veteran who’ll fit in nicely on the weakside under the new coaching staff. He made 107 tackles with a sack and 7.5 tackles for loss, and he’s fantastic in pass coverage with two picks and eight broken up passes.
CFN 2020 Second Team All-America Linebackers
4. Antjuan Simmons, Sr. Michigan State
Undersized, the 6-0, 216-pound Spartan leading tackler will be the main man for new Mel Tucker defense. He can get all over the field, making 90 tackles with 3.5 sacks and 15 tackles for loss. The athleticism and speed are there to do a whole lot more.
5. Monty Rice, Sr. Georgia
The 6-1, 235-pound senior might not do a whole lot in the backfield – he didn’t come up with a sack, but he did apply a ton of pressure – but he’s a tough hitter in the middle of the great Bulldog defense with 89 stops last season.
6. KJ Britt, Sr. Auburn
Yeah, he and the rest of the linebacking corps got to work behind one of the best defensive fronts in America, but the 6-0, 236-pound Britt did his share to clean things up with 69 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and ten tackles for loss. He should flirt with close to 100 stops this year.
CFN 2020 Honorable Mention All-America Linebackers
7. Chazz Surratt, Sr. North Carolina
8. Garret Wallow, Sr. TCU
9. Nate Landman, Sr. Colorado
10. Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Sr. Notre Dame
11. Rayshard Ashby, Sr. Virginia Tech
12. Treshaun Hayward, Sr. Western Michigan
NEXT: CFN 2020 All-America Cornerbacks
CFN 2020 All-America Cornerbacks
CFN 2020 First Team All-America Cornerbacks
1. Derek Stingley Jr., Soph. LSU
Grant Delpit won the 2019 Thorpe Award as the nation’s top defensive back. Stingley was better. The superstar recruit stepped into a starting corner role right away and turned into a key part of the epic national champion, making six picks with 38 tackles and 15 broken up passes. The 6-1, 190-pound sophomore has the size along with the elite punt return quickness.
2. Paulson Adebo, Sr. Stanford
A possible first round draft pick whenever he’s ready, now the very fast, very productive 6-1, 190-pound veteran should be a dominant force if he can play through a full season. He missed part of the year hurt, but he still made 33 stops with four picks and ten broken up passes, after making 64 tackles with 19 broken up passes and four interceptions as a freshman.
CFN 2020 Second Team All-America Cornerbacks
3. Patrick Surtain, Jr. Alabama
At 6-2 and over 200 pounds, Surtain is a very big, very good NFL prospect with all the tools the scouts like as a possible safety if he doesn’t lock down a corner gig. He’s a hitter – making 42 tackles with two interceptions and eight broken up passes – and now he’s one of the leaders of a defense that has to improve a bit.
4. Derion Kendrick, Jr. Clemson
Fast, with the burst to be a dangerous kick returner, he’s going to be the lockdown guy in another fantastic Clemson secondary. He made 44 tackles with two picks and five broken up passes, coming up with 16 of his stops in the College Football Playoff.
CFN 2020 Honorable Mention All-America Cornerbacks
5. Shaun Wade, Jr. Ohio State
6. Israel Mukuamu, Jr. South Carolina
7. Thomas Graham, Sr. Oregon
8 Caleb Farley, Jr. Virginia Tech
9. Ambry Thomas, Sr. Michigan
10. Tariq Castro-Fields, Sr. Penn State
11. Chase Garbers, Jr. Cal
12. Shaun Jolly, Jr. Appalachian State
NEXT: CFN 2020 All-American Safeties
CFN 2020 All-America Safeties
CFN 2020 First Team All-America Safeties
1. Richard LeCounte, Sr. Georgia
An elite athlete with the NFL upside to be a top pick next year – he’ll wow the scouts in the workouts – and he should once again be a statistical superstar. He’s not all that huge at 5-11 and 190 pounds, but he can hit. He made 61 stops with four interceptions and 4.5 tackles for loss – he gets all over the field.
2. Andre Cisco, Jr. Syracuse
One of the nation’s best ball-hawkers over the last two years, the 6-0, 203-pounder made 125 tackles with 12 interceptions and 14 broken up passes. He’s a good-sized defensive back who kept the production going despite missing three games, and now he knows what he’s doing.
CFN 2020 Second Team All-America Safeties
3. JaCoby Stevens, Sr. LSU
Corner Derek Stingley was the team’s best defensive back, and the 6-1, 228-pound Stevens was the best safety. Huge for the position, he was still an active playmaker when the ball was in the air with three interceptions and six broken up passes. His 92 tackles were second on the national championship defense.
4. Hamsah Nasirildeen, Sr. Florida State
You want a big safety who can hit? Here you go. At 6-4 and 215 pounds, he’s like a tall, thin linebacker at times who’s good enough to make a few plays when the ball is in the air, too. A great pro prospect with his size and skills, he made 192 tackles with three picks over the last two years, and he’s starting to bring more thump with a few forced fumbles.
CFN 2020 Honorable Mention All-America Safeties
5. Elijah Molden, Sr. Washington
6. Richie Grant, Sr. UCF
7. Kyle Hamilton, Soph. Notre Dame
8. Greg Eisworth, Sr. Iowa State
9. Trevon Moehrig, Jr. TCU
10. Ja’von Hicks, Jr. Cincinnati
11. Joey Blount, Sr. Virginia
12. Paris Ford, Jr. Pitt
2020 CFN All-Conference Teams
ACC | Big Ten | Big 12 | Pac-12 | SEC
AAC | C-USA | Ind | MAC | M-West | Sun Belt
CFN 2020 Preseason All-America Defense
DEs | DTs | LBs | CBs
