QUARTERBACK
Brady Quinn, Notre Dame–He’s the best quarterback in the country and the Heisman front runner. His numbers should be as good–or better–than last year’s 3,919 yards and 32 touchdowns.
Second Team: Troy Smith, Ohio State
Third Team: Drew Stanton, Michigan State
All the best QBs are in the Midwest, it seems
RUNNING BACK
Adrian Peterson, Oklahoma–Okay, so OU’s quarterback situation is a question mark, but he’s the most dominant running back in college football when he gets some decent blocking.
Second Team: Marshawn Lynch, Cal
Third Team: Steve Slaton, West Virginia
Marshawn Lynch could be the first running back taken in the 2007 draft
FULLBACK
Brian Leonard, Rutgers–In keeping with HP tradition, we choose an All-American fullback. He’s simply the best at the position since Mike Alstott.
Second Team: Peyton Hillis, Arkansas
Third Team: Owen Schmitt, West Virginia
Owen Schmitt is one tough dude
WIDE RECEIVER
Dwayne Jarrett, USC–He’s a touchdown machine, with 29 TDs in 26 games.
Calvin Johnson, Georgia Tech–He can dominate games despite having an erratic quarterback throwing him the ball.
Second Team: Jeff Samardzija, Notre Dame; Sidney Rice, South Carolina
Third Team: Mario Urrutia, Louisville; DeSean Jackson, California
Sidney Rice was incredible as a freshman in 2005
TIGHT END
Zach Miller, ASU–He’s a big talent and ASU’s high-powered attack loves to feed him the ball.
Second Team: Joe Newton, Oregon State
Third Team: Greg Olsen, Miami
No Keller, but Carpenter will still get him the ball
OFFENSIVE LINE
Per HP tradition, we will not choose individual All-Americans on the offensive line.
We refuse to do so because, unlike other people who pick All-Americans, we admit that we have no idea who really is the best offensive linemen.
There are no individual stats to go by. Highlights rarely show what they do. We could go off of hearsay, but wouldn’t that be dishonest? What’s more, there are 585 starting offensive linemen in Division One. It’s almost impossible to have seen enough of them to know who is the best. So, while other All-American teams choose linemen almost solely based on reputation, we will not.
However, we will choose the best line unit in the country. That honor we see as a tie right now between USC and Texas.
The Longhorns return three starters, including All-American candidate Justin Blalock plus Kasey Studdard and Lyle Sendlein. The guys replacing the graduated Jonathan Scott and Will Allen are potentially great players.
USC returns just two starters, but they are both All-American candidates in Sam Baker and Ryan Kalil. The Trojans also bring back a former starter in Jeff Byers, the former national player of the year in high school.
These units will play a huge role in assuring that these two teams stay in the title hunt all season.
How to block
PLACEKICKER
Alexis Serna, Oregon State–He’s the defending Groza Award winner and should repeat.
Second Team: Mason Crosby, Colorado
Third Team: Sam Swank, Wake Forest
Kickers can get a little excitable
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