Lamar Jackson, Dede Westbrook, Jabrill Peppers lead SI's 2016 college football All-America team

As the college football season enters its closing stretch, it’s time to honor the best of the best. Sports Illustrated’s college football experts have made their selections for the 2016 All-America Team.

Lamar Jackson, Dede Westbrook, Jabrill Peppers lead SI's 2016 college football All-America team

QB: Lamar Jackson, Louisville, Soph.

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The Heisman Trophy favorite leapt onto the national scene and continued to shine all season. His 51 touchdowns are equal to or more than the touchdowns scored by all but 38 teams.

RB: D'Onta Foreman, Texas, Jr.

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A true workhorse back, Foreman carried the ball 323 times. Despite the heavy workload, he still managed to average 6.3 yards per carry to rack up 2,028 yards this season.

RB: Donnel Pumphrey, San Diego State, Sr.

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If Pumphrey can gain just 108 yards in the San Diego State’s trip to the Las Vegas Bowl, he’ll become the NCAA’s career rushing leader. He’s had his best season yet so far, gaining 2,018 yards with 16 touchdowns.

WR: Dede Westbrook, Oklahoma, Sr.

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After a slow start to the season, Westbrook has exploded, gaining 100 receiving yards or more in eight of his last nine games. His prodigious pairing with quarterback Baker Mayfield made both Heisman finalists.

WR: Corey Davis, Western Michigan, Sr.

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The brightest star on one of only two undefeated teams in the FBS, Davis racked up 1,427 receiving yard this season, including 272 in a win over Ball State. His 18 touchdown catches are the most in the nation.

TE: Evan Engram, Ole Miss, Sr.

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Engram led all tight ends with 926 yards receiving. He shined even against the Rebels’ toughest competition, gaining 121 yards against Florida State and 138 against Alabama.

OT: Cam Robinson, Alabama, Jr.

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The Outland Trophy finalist anchored one of the top offensive lines in college football and withstood some of the best pass rushers in the nation.

OG: Cody O'Connell, Washington State, Jr.

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Another Outland Trophy finalist, O’Connell helped Washington State make a massive improvement in its running game, upping its rushing attack by more than 45 yards per game.

C: Pat Elflein, Ohio State, Sr.

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Amid all the upheaval with only three returning offensive starters at Ohio State, Elflein provided a rock in his first season at center after sliding over from guard. He was already named the Big Ten’s offensive lineman of the year.

OG: Dorian Johnson, Pittsburgh, Sr.

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Johnson was the star of a loaded Pittsburgh offensive line that allowed just nine sacks all season and helped the Panthers set a school record for scoring offense.

OT: Ryan Ramczyk, Wisconsin, Jr.

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The Badgers’ left tackle didn’t allow a sack all season and helped Corey Clement and the Wisconsin rushing attack top 200 yards per game. Not bad for his first season of play at the FBS level.

DE: Jonathan Allen, Alabama, Sr.

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While Michigan’s Jabrill Peppers contributes in a variety of way, Allen may be the best purely defensive player in the country. The versatile defensive lineman made 13 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks and 15 quarterback hurries. He even scored two touchdowns.

DT: Ed Oliver, Houston, Fr.

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The five-star’s commitment to Houston sent shockwaves through the recruiting world, and he wasted no time showing why. After a 19.5-tackle-for-loss, five-sack debut season, he’s going to be a must-watch player for the next two years.

DE: Derek Barnett, Tennessee, Jr.

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An unstoppable forced sense he arrived at Knoxville, Barnett put together his best year yet, finishing the regular season with 18 tackles for loss, 12 sacks, two forced fumbles and an interception.

LB: Reuben Foster, Alabama, Sr.

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A prototypical star linebacker, Foster is always in the action. He led the Crimson Tide with 94 tackles, including 12 tackles for loss and four sacks, and also broke up seven passes.

LB: Jabrill Peppers, Michigan, Jr.

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He received votes at linebacker, returner and all-purpose player, reflecting the many ways in which Peppers can shine. He’s impossible to gameplan for because he can hurt the opposition in so many ways.

LB: Zach Cunningham, Vanderbilt, Jr.

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Tucked away at Vanderbilt, Cunningham can go toe-to-toe with Foster for the title of best linebacker in the SEC. A true playmaker, he recorded 119 tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and a blocked kick.

LB: T.J. Watt, Wisconsin, Jr.

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The younger brother of NFL star J.J, T.J. Watt is building his own reputation and helped get the Badgers to the Big Ten title game. He’s got a knack for getting into the backfield and finished the season with 14.5 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks and 12 quarterback hurries.

CB: Jourdan Lewis, Michigan, Sr.

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Michigan’s other defensive star, Lewis is the Big Ten’s defensive back of the year and a Thorpe Award finalist. He compiled 10 passes defended, 3.5 tackles for loss and two interceptions this season.

S: Budda Baker, Washington, Jr.

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The junior helped get the Huskies to the College Football Playoff by anchoring a secondary that ranks sixth in yards allowed per attempt. Baker makes plays all over the field, recording nine tackles for loss, two sacks, two interceptions and a forced fumble.

S: Malik Hooker, Ohio State, Soph.

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The sophomore shined in his first season as a starter, helping the Buckeyes tie for the fewest yards allowed per pass attempt in the country. Hooker’s six interceptions tie for fifth in the nation.

CB: Desmond King, Iowa, Sr.

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After building a reputation with his eight-interception season in 2015, King simply took a side of the field away from opposing quarterbacks in 2016. He defended nine passes and intercepted two.

K: Zane Gonzalez, Arizona State, Sr.

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The FBS record-holder for field goals in a career is more than just productive; he’s got a boot, too. Gonzalez’s 59-yarder against Colorado was the longest made field goal this season.

P: Mitch Wishnowsky, Utah, Soph.

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Picking up right where former Utes punt Tom Hackett left off, Wishnowsky ranks second with 48 yards per punt and leads the nation in punts dropped inside the 20- and 10-yard lines.

R: Quadree Henderson, Pittsburgh, Soph.

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The Panthers’ speedster leads the nation in kick return average among players with more than 25 returns and leads all players in punt return average. He took three kick returns to the house for a Pitt record and also has a punt return touchdown this season.

AP: Adoree' Jackson, USC, Jr.

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Jackson does it all for the Trojans, contributing on offense, defense and special teams. USC’s win over Notre Dame sums up all the ways the Thorpe Award finalist can beat a team as he scored on a punt return, reception and kick return in the 45–27 victory.

Second-Team Offense

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QB: Deshaun Watson, Clemson; RB: Dalvin Cook, Florida State; RB: Christian McCaffrey, Stanford; WR: Austin Carr, Northwestern; WR: Zay Jones, East Carolina; TE: Jake Butt, Michigan; OT: Connor Williams, Texas; OG: Quenton Nelson, Notre Dame; C: Tyler Orlosky, West Virginia; OG: Billy Price, Ohio State; OT: Roderick Johnson, Florida State

Second-Team Defense

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DE: Myles Garrett, Texas A&M; DT: Malik McDowell, Michigan State; DE: DeMarcus Walker, Florida State; LB: Raekwon McMillan, Ohio State; LB: Tim Williams, Alabama; LB: Tegray Scales, Indiana; LB: Kendell Beckwith, LSU; CB: Teez Tabor, Florida; S: Jamal Adams, LSU; S: Quin Blanding, Virginia; CB: Sidney Jones, Washington

Second-Team Special Teams

K: Daniel Carlson, Auburn; P: JK Scott, Alabama; R: Adoree' Jackson, USC; AP: Jabrill Peppers, Michigan