Sporting News Names DeVonta Smith Player of the Year; Six Alabama All-Americans
The Sporting News named wide receiver DeVonta Smith its college football player of the year, and six other Alabama players to its All-American teams on Tuesday morning.
The Sporting News is one of the services the NCAA uses to determine and consensus and unanimous status, others including the American Football Coaches Association, the Football Writers Association of America, the Walter Camp Foundation and the Associated Press.
The AP released its All-American team Monday, which included the same six Crimson Tide players on the first team, and eight overall.
Alabama led all schools with seven overall selections, including six first-team players on the Sporting News team. Quarterback Mac Jones, running back Najee Harris and receiver DeVonta Smith were among those picks.
The other playoff teams, Ohio State, Notre Dame and Clemson combined for nine players across our first and second teams.
The SEC led all conferences with 13 selections, followed by the ACC with 12.
Sporting News 2020 All-American team
First-team Offense
QB: Mac Jones, Alabama
Jones led the FBS with a 76.5 completion percentage, 11.4 yards per attempt and 202.3 passer rating — a mark that’s slightly higher than Joe Burrow's 202.0 rating last season. The Crimson Tide quarterback did that while totaling 3,739 yards, 32 touchdowns and four interceptions. Jones operated the Alabama offense with remarkable efficiency and stood out in big games. He set the SEC championship game record with 418 passing yards against Florida.
RB: Najee Harris, Alabama
Harris rushed for 1,262 yards and 24 touchdowns, breaking Alabama's all-time records for rushing yards (3,639) and touchdowns (44). Harris is a well-rounded running back who continues to be an asset in the receiving game (32 receptions, 316 yards, three touchdowns). Harris capped that season with five scores in the SEC championship game against the Gators, which ensured his spot on the team this season.
RB: Breece Hall, Iowa State
WR: DeVonta Smith, Alabama
Smith led the FBS in receptions (98) and receiving yards (1,511), using that production to amass 17 receiving touchdowns. He emerged as the best receiver in college football and took over games. That included a 15-catch, 184-yard, two-touchdown performance in the SEC championship game. As a bonus, Smith averaged 24.9 yards per punt return adding a score. Smith is SN's Player of the Year — the first receiver to win the award since Michigan's Desmond Howard in 1991.
WR: Elijah Moore, Ole Miss
TE: Kyle Pitts, Florida
Pitts scored four touchdowns in the opener against Ole Miss, and the 6-6, 246-pound tight end remained a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses throughout the year. He had 43 receptions for 770 yards and 12 touchdowns — an average of 17.9 yards per catch. Despite batting injuries during the season, Pitts managed three games with 100 yards or more. He's a Biletnikoff Award finalist, which demonstrates his value as a dominant pass-catching option.
OT: Liam Eichenberg, Notre Dame
OT: Alex Leatherwood, Alabama
The left tackle lived up to his first-round billing as a veteran presence on Alabama's offense. Leatherwood played 600 snaps this season with just one penalty and two sacks allowed. He's the outside anchor for Jones, and his versatility will continue to pay off at the next level.
G: Wyatt Davis, Ohio State
G: Kenyon Green, Texas A&M
C: Landon Dickerson, Alabama
Dickerson's value could be seen when he suffered a season-ending injury in the SEC championship game against Florida. He was a dominant force on the interior for an Alabama offense that averaged 189.8 rushing yards per game. Dickerson emerged as a team leader, and is one of three finalists for the Rimington Trophy. That would continue a tradition set by past Alabama winners Barrett Jones (2012) and Ryan Kelly (2015).
ATH: Travis Etienne, Clemson
First-team Defense
DL: Patrick Jones II, Pitt
DL: Daviyon Nixon, Iowa
DL: Cade Hall, San Jose State
DL: Darius Stills, West Virginia
LB: Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Notre Dame
LB: Zaven Collins, Tulsa
LB: Chazz Surratt, North Carolina
CB: Shaun Wade, Ohio State
CB: Patrick Surtain II, Alabama
Surtain was Pro Football Focus' top cornerback for most of the season, and was a consistent lock-down defender in a year where Alabama improved against the pass. The Crimson Tide didn't allow a passing touchdown for a five-game stretch at one point, and Surtain finished with an interception return for a touchdown and seven pass breakups.
S: Talanoa Hufanga, USC
S: Brandon Joseph, Northwestern
First-team specialists
K: Jose Borregales, Miami
P: Pressley Harvin III, Georgia Tech
RET: Avery Williams, Boise State
Second-team offense
QB: Kyle Trask, Florida
RB: Kyren Williams, Notre Dame
RB: Jaret Patterson, Buffalo
WR: Jonathan Adams Jr., Arkansas State
WR: Jaelon Darden, North Texas
TE: Hunter Long, Boston College
OT: Darian Kinnard, Kentucky
OT: Brady Christensen, BYU
G: Aaron Banks, Notre Dame
G: Ryan Neuzil, Appalachian State
C: Josh Myers, Ohio State
ATH: Javonte Williams, North Carolina
Second-team defense
DL: Tarron Jackson, Coastal Carolina
DL: Rashad Weaver, Pitt
DL: Patrick Johnson, Tulane
DL: Haskell Garrett, Ohio State
LB: Devin Lloyd, Utah
LB: Mike Rose, Iowa State
LB: Joseph Ossai, Texas
CB: Derek Stingley Jr., LSU
CB: Shemar Jean-Charles, Appalachian State
S: Tykee Smith, West Virginia
S: Trevon Moehrig, TCU
Second-team specialists
K: Will Reichard, Alabama
P: Lucas Dean, UTSA
RET: Trestan Ebner, Baylor
