With the 2023 college football season -- the last of an era, in many ways -- just weeks ahead, our panel of college football experts were faced with plenty of difficult decisions when convening to select the 2023 CBS Sports / 247Sports Preseason All-America team. Experts from CBS Sports and 247Sports joined forces once again to honor the players who they believe will shine brightest on the gridiron over the next few months.
Just three players received unanimous All-America selections: Michigan running back Blake Corum, Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. and Georgia tight end Brock Bowers.
Corum and Harrison lead five players who return as preseason first-team selections after ending the 2022 campaign in the same position. USC quarterback Caleb Williams -- the reigning Heisman Trophy winner and the 2023 CBS Sports Preseason Player of the Year -- Miami defensive back Kamren Kitchens and Indiana kick returner Jaylin Lucas are the others.
Alabama's Kool-Aid McKinstry is another noteworthy selection this preseason as he was chosen to the first team at both cornerback and punt returner.
In total, 31 programs are represented across the two teams of 54 selections.
Two-time reigning national champion Georgia enters with the most first-team selections (four) as well as the 2023 CBS Sports Preseason Coach of the Year in Kirby Smart. Alabama and Ohio State (three each) and Penn State (two) also have multiple players with top honors. UGA and OSU lead the pack with five combined picks across the two teams, while Bama and Michigan are just behind them with four selections each.
Alabama also enters the season with the 2023 CBS Sports Preseason Freshman of the Year in defensive back Caleb Downs.
The Big Ten and SEC each contributed nine first-team selections, though the former edged the latter with one more total pick (16-15). Combined, the Big Ten and SEC had 31 of 54 total selections (57.4%). Eight SEC teams and seven Big Ten programs are represented among the All-America selections.
| Conference | First team | Total selections |
|---|---|---|
| Big Ten | 9 | 16 |
| SEC | 9 | 15 |
| Pac-12 | 4 | 8 |
| ACC | 3 | 7 |
| Big 12 | 1 | 5 |
| Independent (Notre Dame) | 1 | 2 |
| Mountain West | 0 | 1 |
In an effort to modernize our All-America team and make it more representative of the current game, CBS Sports in 2022 adjusted the defensive roster positions, adding an additional defensive back slot. Furthermore, any EDGE rushers voted onto the team are positioned as listed on official team rosters.
2023 CBS Sports / 247Sports Preseason All-America
* unanimous selection | classes from official team rosters
First team
| Offense | | | |
|---|---|---|---|
QB | Caleb Williams | Junior | |
RB | Blake Corum * | Senior | |
RB | Quinshon Judkins | Sophomore | |
WR | Marvin Harrison Jr. * | Junior | |
WR | Rome Odunze | Junior | |
TE | Brock Bowers * | Junior | |
C | Sedrick Van Pran | Georgia | Redshirt junior |
OL | Joe Alt | Junior | |
OL | Olu Fashanu | Junior | |
OL | Cooper Beebe | Senior | |
OL | JC Latham | Junior | |
| Defense | | | |
| DL | Jared Verse | Florida State | Redshirt junior |
| DL | JT Tuimoloau | Ohio State | Junior |
DL | Jer'Zhan Newton | Junior | |
LB | Harold Perkins | Sophomore | |
LB | Tommy Eichenberg | Ohio State | Graduate |
LB | Jeremiah Trotter Jr. | Junior | |
CB | Kalen King | Penn State | Junior |
CB | Kool-Aid McKinstry | Alabama | Junior |
DB | Kamren Kinchens | Junior | |
DB | Malaki Starks | Georgia | Sophomore |
DB | Javon Bullard | Georgia | Junior |
| Special teams | | | |
K | Joshua Karty | Senior | |
P | Tory Taylor | Senior | |
KR | Jaylin Lucas | Sophomore | |
PR | Kool-Aid McKinstry | Alabama | Junior |
AP | Travis Hunter | Sophomore |
Second team
| Offense | | | |
|---|---|---|---|
QB | Drake Maye | Redshirt sophomore | |
RB | Braelon Allen | Junior | |
| RB | Raheim Sanders | Junior | |
WR | Emeka Egbuka | Ohio State | Junior |
| WR | Xavier Worthy | Junior | |
TE | Ja'Tavion Sanders | Texas | Junior |
C | Zach Frazier | Junior | |
OL | Zak Zinter | Michigan | Senior |
OL | Graham Barton | Senior | |
OL | Kelvin Banks Jr. | Texas | Sophomore |
OL | Donovan Jackson | Ohio State | Junior |
| Defense | | | |
| DL | Bralen Trice | Washington | Junior |
DL | Tyler Davis | Clemson | Graduate |
DL | Kris Jenkins | Michigan | Senior |
LB | Jamon Dumas-Johnson | Georgia | Junior |
LB | Dallas Turner | Alabama | Junior |
LB | Barrett Carter | Clemson | Junior |
CB | Cooper DeJean | Iowa | Junior |
CB | Will Johnson | Michigan | Sophomore |
DB | Calen Bullock | USC | Junior |
DB | Benjamin Morrison | Notre Dame | Sophomore |
DB | Cole Bishop | Junior | |
| Special teams | | | |
K | John Hoyland | Junior | |
P | Kai Kroger | Senior | |
KR | Lideatrick Griffin | Senior | |
PR | Anthony Gould | Redshirt junior | |
AP | Ainias Smith | Graduate |
