CBS Sports' 2025 College Football All-America Team: Postseason picks for the best at every position

The complete 2025 College Football All-America Team, featuring first- and second-team selections and headlined by Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia, our Player of the Year

It's awards season in college football, which means it is time to unveil the 2025 CBS Sports All-America Team. Experts from CBS Sports and 247Sports joined forces once again to honor the players who excelled at their positions and demonstrated consistent impact on the field. The roster includes 52 selections from 27 programs across seven conferences, plus both Independents, representing a broad cross-section of the college football landscape.

Unanimous selections remain rare, reflecting exceptional consensus among voters. This year, six players earned that distinction: running back Jeremiyah Love (Notre Dame), wide receiver Makai Lemon (USC), offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa (Miami), linebackers Jacob Rodriguez (Texas Tech) and Arvell Reese (Ohio State), as well as defensive back Caleb Downs (Ohio State).

How Jeremiyah Love's affection for anime shaped his iconic hurdle

Shehan Jeyarajah

A number of honorees also return after earning preseason first-team recognition, maintaining a high standard from August through the end of the season. That group includes Love at running back, wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (Ohio State), tight end Eli Stowers (Vanderbilt), offensive tackle Spencer Fano (Utah), as well as Mauigoa on the line; offensive guard Olaivavega Ioane (Penn State), cornerback Leonard Moore (Notre Dame) and Downs on the back end.

Ohio State led all programs with four first-team selections, while Indiana produced the most overall All-America nods with six. Miami (5), Oregon (3), Texas A&M (3) and Texas Tech (3) also finished with multiple All-America selections.

For the fourth time in five years, the Big Ten topped the SEC for most CBS Sports All-America team selections with 19. The SEC had 12, followed by ACC with seven and Big 12 with six.

CONFERENCE	FIRST TEAM	TOTAL SELECTIONS
Big Ten	12	19
SEC	5	12
ACC	2	7
Big 12	3	6
Independent	2	3
Mountain West	1	2
MAC	0	2
C-USA	1	1

🇺🇸 2025 CBS Sports All-America

* unanimous selection | classes from official team rosters

🏈 Offense 

QB: Diego Pavia | Sr. | Vanderbilt

More than just a quarterback, Pavia is the face of Vanderbilt football. And he's backed up all that off-field talk with jaw-dropping production on the field. He's the only FBS quarterback to rank in the top 15 in passing yards (3,192) and the top 10 in rushing yards (892), combining for 36 total touchdowns while completing 71.2% of his passes.

Second team: Fernando Mendoza, Indiana

RB: Jeremiyah Love* | Jr. | Notre Dame

Love was a weekly highlight reel for the Fighting Irish, making explosive plays a habit. He recorded a play from scrimmage of at least 30 yards in nine games, finishing with 10 total. Love led all FBS players averaging 14-plus carries per game in yards per attempt (6.89) and ranked fourth nationally with 1,372 rushing yards, adding 18 touchdowns on the ground — both top-five marks despite ranking just 26th in attempts per game (16.58).

Second team: Kewan Lacy, Ole Miss

RB: Ahmad Hardy | So. | Missouri

Even with an off-pace October in which he averaged fewer than 70 rushing yards in three games, Hardy still led the FBS in rushing yards per game (130.0) and powered Missouri to a 7-0 record in games where he carried the ball more than 20 times. He finished the season with 1,560 rushing yards -- the fourth-most in single-season Missouri history -- and 16 touchdowns, while also leading all Power Four running backs in rushing yards after contact (1,111), per TruMedia.

Second team: Emmett Johnson, Nebraska

WR: Makai Lemon* | Jr. | USC

Lemon made jaw-dropping contested catches in big moments to help power one of the nation's most explosive passing offenses. He finished the season with 1,156 receiving yards, fourth-most in the FBS and 11 touchdowns -- tied for sixth nationally. Lemon was also incredibly reliable, credited with just two drops -- the fourth-fewest among FBS receivers with at least 90 targets, according to PFF.

Second team: Skyler Bell, UConn

WR: Jeremiah Smith | So. | Ohio State

The national attention around Smith may have quieted some this year, but his per-game numbers actually slightly improved heading into the CFP. The former No. 1 overall recruit is averaging 90.5 receiving yards on 6.7 catches per game, continuing to be a dynamic weapon for Ohio State's offense. Smith has topped 1,000 receiving yards and double-digit touchdowns (11) in both his college seasons.

Second team: Danny Scudero, San Jose State

TE: Eli Stowers | Sr. | Vanderbilt

Stowers led all FBS tight ends in yards receiving (769) and was one of only two at the position to record multiple 100-yard games. He also paced the nation's tight ends in yards after the catch (377), showcasing his physicality in Vanderbilt's passing game. Not bad for a former reserve quarterback.

Second team: Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon

OT: Francis Mauigoa* | Jr. | Miami

It says plenty about Miami's offensive line that it placed two players on the CBS Sports All-America team, and Mauigoa anchors that group at right tackle. The 6-foot-6, 315-pound standout helped stabilize a unit that ranked fifth nationally in fewest tackles for loss allowed per game (3.5) and eighth in fewest sacks allowed per game (0.92).

Second team: Carter Smith, Indiana

OT: Spencer Fano | Jr. | Utah

Fano was one of the nation's most dependable pass protectors, logging 382 pass-blocking snaps without allowing a single sack and giving up just five total pressures. According to PFF, he was the only tackle in the FBS with at least 300 pass-blocking snaps to hit those marks. The 6-foot-6, 302-pound standout also helped pave the way for Utah's dominant ground game, which finished second nationally at 269.75 rushing yards per contest.

Second team: Kadyn Proctor, Alabama

OG: Emmanuel Pregnon | RSr. | Oregon

By way of USC (after beginning his career at Wyoming), Pregnon proved to be a vital transfer addition for an Oregon offensive line that entered the season with just one returning starter. Working primarily at left guard, he brought stability to the unit, allowing no sacks and being credited with only three pressures all season on 351 pass-blocking snaps, per PFF.

Second team: Keylan Rutledge, Georgia Tech

OG: Olaivavega Ioane | RJr. | Penn State

Penn State's record-setting running back duo wouldn't have found the same success without a stout offensive line anchored by Ioane at left guard. The 6-foot-4, 323-pounder didn't allow a sack and surrendered just three pressures all season, according to PFF, taking another clear step forward in his fourth year with the program.

Second team: Ar'maj Reed-Adams, Texas A&M

OC: James Brockermeyer | RSr. | Miami

Miami found immediate consistency in the middle with Brockermeyer, a key transfer from TCU who brought experience and poise to the heart of the line. He didn't allow a sack all season and served as a steadying voice up front, helping anchor an offensive line that posted the lowest pressure rate (15.6%) in the FBS. 

James' father, Blake, is college football analyst for CBS Sports. 

Second team: Logan Jones, Iowa

All-purpose: Emmett Johnson | Jr. | Nebraska

Johnson was indispensable after Nebraska lost quarterback Dylan Raiola to a season-ending injury. He led all Power Four players with 1,821 all-purpose yards and paced the nation in carry rate, handling 65.2% of the Huskers' rushing attempts. Johnson was also the only Power Four player this season to record at least 100 rushing yards and 100 receiving yards in the same game, piling up 232 all-purpose yards and three touchdowns against UCLA in Week 11.

Second team: Malachi Toney, Miami

🛡️ Defense

EDGE: David Bailey | Sr. | Texas Tech

Bailey was a known force prior to his arrival at Texas Tech but took a colossal step forward after transferring from Stanford. Already regarded as a ferocious pass rusher, Bailey flourished as arguably the nation's best in 2025 with a Big 12-leading 13.5 sacks and 17.5 total tackles for loss. He recorded at least one sack in all but three games in his senior campaign and will be one of the most feared havoc-wreakers in the College Football Playoff.

Second team: Rueben Bain Jr., Miami

DT: Kayden McDonald | Jr. | Ohio State

McDonald anchored the nation's most formidable defense as a stalwart up front. The Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year is a first-year starter, but he made up for a lack of experience with his relentless motor. Not only is he a ferocious run defender, but McDonald also has a knack for disrupting the quarterback with an average of around three pressures per game.

Second team: Lee Hunter, Texas Tech

DT: A'Mauri Washington | Jr. | Oregon

Washington's athleticism is uncanny for a 330-pound defensive tackle. In his first year as a starter, he was the heart of Oregon's run defense while consistently forcing his way toward the quarterback. He batted down six passes in the regular season, notched an eye-catching sack and emerged as a potential first-round NFL Draft pick.

Second team: Stephen Daley, Indiana

EDGE: Cashius Howell | RSr. | Texas A&M

Howell is in elite company as the first Texas A&M defender to post 11.5 sacks in a season since Myles Garrett hit that mark in 2014. His development has been stark since joining the SEC by way of Bowling Green in 2024, and he enters the postseason as the conference's sack leader. The fifth-year veteran is the anchor for an Aggies pass rush that leads the nation in sacks.

Second team: John Henry Daley, Utah

LB: Jacob Rodriguez* | Sr. | Texas Tech

There has not been a more dominant defensive player in college football this season than Rodriguez, whose incredible redshirt senior season led Texas Tech to launch a Heisman Trophy campaign in his honor. This is Rodriguez's second consecutive season with at least 117 tackles and double-digit tackles for loss, and nobody is more prolific at taking the ball away as he leads the country with seven forced fumbles. He also has four interceptions to his name.

Second team: Jack Kelly, BYU

LB: Arvell Reese* | Jr. | Ohio State

Reese is the second Ohio State player to win the Big Ten Linebacker of the Year award in the last three seasons, and he earned the honor by covering an immense amount of territory in the middle of a historically dominant defense. His versatility as a pass rusher and coverage defender helped him rank second on the team in tackles while also forcing 6.5 sacks in a breakout first year as a starter.

Second team: CJ Allen, Georgia

LB: Aiden Fisher | Sr. | Indiana

Few players have been as instrumental in the process of building Indiana into a Big Ten champion as Fisher. After leading the Hoosiers in tackles a year ago, the former James Madison transfer was even more complete player in 2025 and posted career bests in tackles for loss (seven), sacks (2.5) and interceptions (two). Once one of the top defenders at the Group of Six level, Fisher is now a premier linebacker for a power conference champion.

Second team: Red Murdock, Buffalo

CB: Leonard Moore | So. | Notre Dame

Moore is on a torrid start to his Notre Dame career. One year after racking up 11 pass breakups as a true freshman, the star cornerback made offenses pay for throwing in his direction with five interceptions -- good for fourth nationally -- and housed one, too. PFF consistently graded him as the nation's top cornerback in man coverage throughout the year. He's set for a monstrous 2026. 

Second team: D'Angelo Ponds, Indiana

CB: Mansoor Delane | Sr. | LSU

LSU struck transfer portal gold when it acquired Delane from Virginia Tech last offseason. The established ACC standout did not skip a beat with his move to the SEC and proceeded to pace the conference in pass breakups with 11. That was despite opponents consistently shying away from passing to his side of the field, which they did for good reason as he held quarterbacks to just a 37.1% completion rate, per PFF.

Second team: Keionte Scott, Miami

S: Caleb Downs* | Jr. | Ohio State

Downs is now a two-time First Team All-American and the only return honoree from 2024. He has been one of the nation's top players since his freshman season at Alabama and was the leader this year of Ohio State's impenetrable defense. Downs' football IQ is off the charts, and his statistical production this season (headlined by his five tackles for loss and two interceptions) was as valuable as always.

Second team: Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Toledo

S: Louis Moore | RSr. | Indiana

Only Louisiana Tech's Jakari Foster recorded more interceptions this season than Moore. And with more opportunities to come, Indiana's star safety has a chance to jump to the top of the leaderboard during the College Football Playoff. Moore was granted an injunction in September allowing him to play a sixth year of eligibility, and he made the most of it in turning in the best campaign of his career.

Second team: AJ Haulcy, LSU

🦵 Special teams

K: Kansei Matsuzawa | Sr. | Hawai'i

Matsuzawa was a rock for Hawai'i all season. No FBS kicker made more field goals (25), and he led all in made field-goal rate (96.2%.) He was perfect from 40+ yards, going 11-for-11, with a long of 52 yards. His highlight was booting the Week 0 winner against Stanford. 

Second team: Aidan Birr, Georgia Tech

P: Cole Maynard | RJr. | Western Kentucky

A true special teams weapon who can flip the field, Maynard led the FBS in average punt distance at 48.7 yards. His net punting average of 43.3 yards ranks second among FBS punters with at least 40 attempts.

Second team: Grayson Miller, Oklahoma

Returner: Kaden Wetjen | Sr. | Iowa

Even by late November, opponents still hadn't figured out to avoid kicking to Wetjen. Year after year, Iowa seems to produce a dangerous return specialist, and Wetjen is the latest in that line. He led all FBS players with four special teams touchdowns (three on punts and one on a kickoff) and totaled 965 return yards -- 160 more than the next-best player in the FBS.

Second team: KC Concepcion, Texas A&M

🏆 Postseason Awards

Player of the Year: Diego Pavia | Sr. | Vanderbilt

There might not be a player more instrumental in his team's success than Pavia, who guided Vanderbilt to its first-ever 10-win season as the most efficient passer and most formidable dual-threat quarterback in the SEC. The dynamic sixth-year star is the CBS Sports Player of the Year and could soon add a Heisman Trophy to his list of honors.

Freshman of the Year: Malachi Toney | Fr. | Miami

Toney kicked off his career with an expectation-defying bang. The former three-star recruit was everything Miami could have asked for and more. He finished the regular season ranked sixth nationally in catches with 84 and paced the ACC with seven touchdown receptions. Toney's elite speed also helped him assert himself as one of college football's top all-purpose threats, as he ran for 89 yards and a touchdown and served as the Hurricanes' primary punt returner.

Coach of the Year: Curt Cignetti, Indiana

Cignetti is the CBS Sports Coach of the Year for the second consecutive season. He shared the title last year with Arizona State's Kenny Dillingham but earned sole possession of the award in 2025 after taking Indiana to even greater heights. The Hoosiers completed the first undefeated regular season in school history, won the Big Ten for the first time since 1967, and are set to enter the College Football Playoff as the No. 1 seed. Turning Indiana into a national championship contender in just two years is a remarkable feat.