Preseason Post-Spring NCAA All-American Predictions

Kentucky DL Deone Walker closes in on QB Brady Cook for a sack in a 2023 matchup with Missouri. All images courtesy of Google.

Although the start of the 2024 season is still months away, we've reached the point in the offseason where trying to predict what happens in the fall feels a little less crazy. Spring ball is over, and the last round of the transfer portal has closed. As always, injuries can still happen, but that fact won't change at any point before or during the season, making pretty much any prediction at any point in time a risky one. Be ready for some hot takes, and look out for some small-school dudes that could find their way into these lineups. Let me know in the comments which picks you like, and where I went wrong (in your opinion).

First Team

Offense

QB: Jalon Daniels, Kansas

HB: Ashton Jeanty, Boise State

WR: Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona

WR: Evan Stewart, Oregon

WR: Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State

TE: Luke Lachey, Iowa

LT: Will Campbell, Louisiana State

LG: Donovan Jackson, Ohio State

C: Parker Brailsford, Alabama

RG: Pichon Wimbley, Georgia Southern

RT: Earnest Greene III, Georgia

Defense

EDGE: James Pearce Jr., Tennessee

NT: Deone Walker, Kentucky

DT: Mason Graham, Michigan

EDGE: Abdul Carter, Penn State

LB: Jay Higgins, Iowa

LB: Smael Mondon Jr., Georgia

CB: Will Johnson, Michigan

CB: Domani Jackson, Alabama

DB: Sebastian Castro, Iowa

FS: Caleb Downs, Ohio State

SS: Xavier Nwankpa, Iowa

Special Teams

K: Drew Stevens, Iowa

P; Rhys Dakin, Iowa

LS: Luke Elkin, Iowa

Second Team

Offense

QB: Miller Moss, Southern California

HB: Donovan Edwards, Michigan

WR: Luther Burden, Missouri

WR: Tez Johnson, Oregon

WR: Tory Horton, Colorado State

TE: Colston Loveland, Michigan

LT: Kelvin Banks, Texas

LG: Tate Ratledge, Georgia

C: Jacob Bayer, Arkansas State

RG: Clay Webb, Jacksonville State

RT: Emery Jones, Louisiana State

Defense

EDGE: Jack Sawyer, Ohio State

NT: Nash Hutmacher, Nebraska

DT: Walter Nolen, Mississippi

EDGE: Mykel Williams, Georgia

LB: Harold Perkins, Louisiana State

LB: Jaishawn Barham, Michigan

CB: Travis Hunter, Colorado

CB: Jabbar Muhammad, Oregon

DB: Malaki Starks, Georgia

FS: Rod Moore, Michigan

SS: Xavier Watts, Notre Dame

Special Teams

N/A

Other Names to Watch

QB

Dylan Raiola, Nebraska; Will Howard, Ohio State; Carson Beck, Georgia; Quinn Ewers, Texas; Shedeur Sanders, Colorado; Brady Cook, Missouri

HB

Quinshon Judkins/TreVeyon Henderson, Ohio State; Ollie Gordon II, Oklahoma State; Damien Martinez, Oregon State; Kaleb Johnson, Iowa; Trevor Etienne, Georgia

WR

Zachariah Branch, Southern California; Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State; Isaiah Bond, Texas; Deion Burks, Oklahoma; Justus Ross-Simmons, Colorado State; Moose Muhammad III, Texas A&M; Kyren Lacy, Louisiana State

TE

Mitchell Evans, Notre Dame; Oscar Delp, Georgia; Caden Prieskorn, Mississippi; Brant Kuithe, Utah

OT

Kadyn Proctor, Alabama; Jonah Savaiinaea, Arizona; Xavier Truss, Georgia; Josh Simmons, Ohio State; Blake Miller, Clemson

IOL

Javontez Spraggins, Tennessee; Bryce Foster, Texas A&M; Jager Burton, Kentucky; Joshua Gray, Oregon State; D.J. Campbell, Texas

EDGE

Nic Scourton, Texas A&M; J.T. Tuimoloau, Ohio State; Deontae Craig/Ethan Hurkett/Brian Allen Jr., Iowa; Ashton Gillotte, Louisville; Princely Umanmielen, Mississippi

DL

Kenneth Grant, Michigan; Dontay Corleone, Cincinnati; Thor Griffith, Louisville; Yahya Black/Aaron Graves, Iowa; Bear Alexander, Southern California

LB

Barrett Carter, Clemson; Nick Jackson, Iowa; Danny Stutsman, Oklahoma; Jamon Dumas-Johnson, Kentucky; Jason Henderson, Old Dominion

CB

Tacario Davis, Arizona; Benjamin Morrison, Notre Dame; Denzel Burke, Ohio State; TJ Hall, Iowa; Cobee Bryant, Kansas; Cormani McClain, (Florida?); Daylen Everette, Georgia; Ephesians Prysock, Washington; Terrence Brooks, Texas

S

C.J. Baskerville, Texas Tech; Andrew Mukuba, Texas; Jeremiah Cooper, Iowa State; Keon Sabb, Alabama; Kobe Savage, Oregon

Mock Prospect Breakdown: Florida Atlantic WR Jason Henry

Star wideout Jason Henry breaks free from an oncoming defender on his way to a crucial 1st down in the Owls' Week 5 win over Ole Miss. Note: this is not an actual image of the 2-time Biletnikoff finalist. All images intended for fictional purposes only.

Jason Henry - WR, Florida Atlantic

Height: 6'2"

Weight: 214 lbs.

Draft Eligibility Status: True Junior (eligible following 2016 season)

Games Played: 35

Career Stats (Receiving): 163 receptions, 4,234 yards, 50 TD, 121 YPG, 26 YPR, 1,646 YAC, 14 drops

Career Stats (Kick/Punt Return): 19.6 YPKR, 7.3 YPPR

Other Noteworthy Stats: 6 total tackles

Awards: None (2-time Biletnikoff runner-up, currently on Heisman Watchlist)

Scouting Notes

• Definition of elite athlete. Possesses every physical trait that an NFL coaching staff could ask for.

• Elite separator. Pairs verified-4.30 speed with excellent footwork and pacing to create openings in coverage with ease at all three levels of the field. He's almost always open.

• Elite deep-ball tracker who virtually never loses a pass downfield, using high-end agility to adjust to an inaccurate throw and keep the play alive. A strong-arm QB's dream.

• Has flashed potential after the catch, but doesn't quite live up to his athletic potential with the ball in his hands. A lot of unknowns as to his upside as a playmaker.

• Very consistent hands in general, but tends to struggle maintaining that consistency in atypical weather conditions. Incredibly limited supply of contested-catch opportunities raises uncertainty about his ability to win catches in traffic.

• Decent run blocker, but tends to be more effective distracting corners with a convincing runoff.

• Incredibly clutch player who can take over in big moments and routinely makes himself the difference in close games. Huge part of the Owls' historic run in 2016.

"Pre"-Combine Mock Draft

Don't call me an expert, but this is how I see the first round going at the moment. This will probably change over the next few days as NFL Combine testing results happen.