Sporting News 2022 College Football All-America Team

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Sporting News' 2022 All-American team features four players from the reigning national champions. 

Georgia leads all schools with three first-team selections – led by defensive tackle Jalen Carter – and four total selections across our two teams. USC also had four total selections – with Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams leading two first-team selections. 

Kansas State and Michigan each had two first-team selections. Notre Dame, Ohio State and Alabama had three players selected across the two teams. Kansas State's Deuce Vaughn and Alabama's Will Anderson are two-time first-team SN All-Americans. 

The Big Ten led all conferences with 13 selections across our first- and second-team; followed by the SEC with 12. 

Sporting News is one of five outlets used to determine Consensus All-American status. With that in mind, our 2022 All-American Team.

First-team Offense 

QB: Caleb Williams, USC

Williams, the Heisman Trophy winner, proved first-year coach Lincoln Riley right at USC this season. Williams led the FBS with 47 total TDs, and he averaged 342.1 yards per game of total offense. Williams did that with a dazzling skill-set that earned him the nickname "Superman." Williams had seven games with at least 300 yards passing and seven games with four total TDs or more. 

MORE: Williams takes home eighth Heisman Trophy for USC

RB: Blake Corum, Michigan 

Corum had an amazing season with 1,463 yards and 18 TDs – and it would have been even better had he not suffered a knee injury on Nov. 19 against Illinois that limited to two carries against Ohio State before he shut it down for the season. Corum was dominant in Big Ten play. Not counting the Ohio State game – in which he had two carries – Corum averaged 152.8 rushing yards on 5.8 yards per carry with 18 TDs. He’s the first Michigan running back to earn SN All-American honors since Chris Perry (2003). 

RB: Bijan Robinson, Texas

Robinson, the Doak Walker Award winner, was outstanding all season for Texas. He finished with 1,580 rushing yards and 18 TDs, and the junior running back nine games with 100 yards rushing or more and two with 200 rushing yards or more. He also had 314 receiving yards and two TDs out of the backfield. He was a consistent playmaker. Robinson, a SN Preseason All-American the last two seasons, delivered the goods. 

WR: Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State 

Harrison made so many highlight-reel catches this season that we lost count. He had 72 catches for 1,152 yards and 12 TDs. Harrison had six 100-yard games and a pair of three-TD games against Arkansas State and Michigan State. Harrison had six TDs in the red zone and four TDs of 40 yards or more. He’s a dominant force with one more year with the Buckeyes.  

MORE: Against the spread picks for all 41 bowl games

WR: Jalin Hyatt, Tennessee 

Hyatt, the Biletnikoff Award winner, turned in arguably the most-dominant performance of the season with six catches for 207 yards and five TDs on Oct. 15 against Alabama. He was a home-run hitter for Hendon Hooker in Tennessee’s wide-open offense, and that led to a school record 15 TDs this season. Hyatt also had 67 catches for 1,267 yards – an incredible 18.9 yards per catch. 

TE: Michael Mayer, Notre Dame 

Mayer was a second-team SN All-American last season. He had 67 catches for 809 yards this season – and that came with a career-high nine TDs. The 6-4, 249-pound tight end is a throw-back style player. He showed up against ranked teams – with 28 catches for 292 yards and five TDs in those four games -- and played with a backup quarterback the majority of the season.

T: Peter Skoronski, Northwestern 

Skoronski, a SN Preseason All-American, lived up to the hype. He is the top pass blocker in the country according to Pro Football Focus. Skoronski allowed just one sack and two quarterback hits all season. The Wildcats had a rough year, but Skoronski was a bright spot. 

G: Cooper Beebe, Kansas State 

Beebe, a 6-4, 322-pounder, enjoyed a fantastic season. The Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year thrived in a return to guard after playing tackle the last two seasons. He’s a natural fit as a run blocker on an offense that averaged 209.6 rushing yards per game. 

C: Olusegun Oluwatimi, Michigan 

Oluwatimi, the Outland Trophy and Rimington Trophy winner, is nasty on the interior for the Wolverines. The Virginia transfer was a natural fit up front. He was a top-five pass blocker according to PFF, and he did not allow a sack this season. The anchor of the offensive line is a huge reason why Michigan is returning to the CFP. The last Wolverines’ lineman to earn All-American honors was Taylor Lewan (2013). 

G: O'Cyrus Torrence, Florida 

Torrence has been a steady presence that has played at an All-American level at Louisiana before transferring to Florida. He made the adjustment to the SEC in a hurry. Torrence had highest run-blocking grade for guards on PFF. 

T: Alex Palczewski, Illinois 

Palczewski has made 63 starts for the Illini, and he had his best season in 2022 in a run-oriented offense with Bret Bielema. He did not allow a sack this season, and that versatility in the running and passing game should pay off at the next level. 

ATH: Deuce Vaughn, Kansas State 

Vaughn’s TD total was cut in half, but he was still the electric X-factor player within Kansas State’s offense. He totaled 1,803 yards (1,425 rush, 378 receiving) and 11 TDs in the Wildcats' offense. He closed the season with a 160-yard, two-TD performance against TCU in the Big 12 championship game. 

First-team Defense 

DL: Tuli Tuipulotu, USC

Tuipolutu had a breakout season under first-year defensive coordinator Alex Grinch. Tuipulotu compiled 12.5 sacks and 21 tackles for loss, and he had 33 quarterback hurries. He had two games with four tackles for loss against Washington and Stanford, respectively. 

DL: Jalen Carter, Georgia 

Carter inherits the spot former teammate Jordan Davis held on SN's All-American team last season. The 6-3, 300-pound defensive tackle is a game-wrecker in the interior, and he played great in huge games. Carter had two forced fumbles in the No. 1 vs. No. 2 showdown against Tennessee, and he had an iconic sack where he held LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels in the air while holding up the "No. 1" sign in the SEC championship game.

DL: Calijah Kancey, Pitt 

Kancey is the next product off the Pitt defensive line pipeline, which has produced four All-Americans since 2019. Kancey did not disappoint. He had 7.5 sacks and 14.0 tackles for loss – almost identical production to his sophomore season. That included a 3.5-sack performance against Virginia on Nov. 12. 

EDGE: Will Anderson, Alabama 

The Bednarik Award, Lombardi Award and Nagurski Award winner is a two-time SN first-team All-American, and with good reason. He had 10 sacks and 17 tackles for loss, and he ranked fourth in the FBS with 36 quarterback hurries. Anderson also had a pick six – another notch in a remarkable career with the Crimson Tide. 

LB: Jack Campbell, Iowa 

Campbell, the Butkus Award winner,  was the most-valuable defensive piece for an Iowa defense that ranked fourth in the FBS in total defense and sixth in scoring defense. Campbell had a remarkable season in which he compiled 115 total tackles, 3.5 sacks and two interceptions. He averaged 10 tackles per game in the losses to Ohio State and Michigan. He has a shot to be Iowa’s first Consensus All-American linebacker since Josey Jewell in 2017. 

LB: Jamon Dumas-Johnson, Georgia 

Dumas-Johnson is the second straight first-team selection at linebacker from Georgia. He tied for the Bulldogs' team lead with 64 tackles, and the sophomore was consistent throughout the season. That emergence for the dominant Georgia defense lands Dumas-Johnson on the first team. 

LB: Ivan Pace, Cincinnati 

Pace thrived in Cincinnati’s defense. According to PFF, Pace had the highest run-stop percentage in the FBS at 11.5%. He had 119 total tackles, 19 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks, a complete line made better with four passes defensed. That’s back-to-back solid seasons for Bearcats’ linebacker.  

CB: Tre'vius Hodges-Tomlinson, TCU 

Hodges-Tomlinson, the Thorpe Award winner, helped lead TCU to the College Football Playoff for the first time. The veteran cornerback had three interceptions and 11 pass breakups, and those interceptions came in huge moments in the regular-season victories against Kansas State and Texas. Hodges-Tomlinson allowed a 37.1% catch percentage; fourth best among qualifying cornerbacks according to PFF. 

MORE: Handing out grades to first-year coaches

CB: Clark Phillips, Utah 

Phillips emerged as a dominant cornerback for the Utes. He had six interceptions, which tied for second in the FBS. That included a three-interception performance against Oregon State on Oct. 1. He had two pick sixes and six pass breakups and was a key piece in leading Utah to a second straight Pac-12 championship. 

S: Kamren Kinchens, Miami 

Kinchens is the first Miami All-American safety since Sean Taylor in 2003. Kinchens was one of the best coverage safeties in the FBS season. He allowed just 12 receptions all season. Kinchens also tied for second in the nation with six interceptions, and he led Miami with 59 tackles in a fantastic breakout season. 

S: Christopher Smith, Georgia 

The big-play safety is the third Georgia defensive player on our first team. Smith is an all-around force and a leader on the back end for the Bulldogs. He finished with 50 tackles and five tackles for loss, but he also had three interceptions. He had six games with at least five tackles. 

First-team Specialists

K: Joshua Karty, Stanford 

Karty didn't miss a field-goal attempt this season for the Cardinal. He hit 18 of 18 field goals, including 13 of 13 from 40 yards or more. He totaled eight field goals in the victories against Arizona State and Notre Dame. 

P: Adam Korsak, Rutgers 

Korzak, the Ray Guy Award winner, averaged 44.0 yards per punt on 75 punts, but only 11% of those punts were returned and 33 landed inside the 20-yard line. He's another Australian punter who took advantage of the opportunities with the Scarlet Knights. 

RET: Anthony Gould, Oregon State

Gould was a fantastic role player on Oregon State's special teams, which contributed to a nine-win season. Gould averaged 18.3 yards per return, and he had two TDs against Montana State and Cal. He also had one kickoff return for 22 yards. 

Second-team offense 

QB: Max Duggan, TCU
RB: DeWayne McBride, UAB
RB: Chase Brown, Illinois
WR: Nathaniel Dell, Houston
WR: Charlie Jones, Purdue
TE: Brock Bowers, Georgia
OL: Dawand Jones, Ohio State
OL: Andrew Vorhees, USC
C: Brett Neilon, USC
OL: Christian Haynes, UConn
OL: Joe Alt, Notre Dame
ATH: Zach Charbonnet, UCLA

Second-team defense

DL: Isaiah Foskey, Notre Dame
DL: Jose Ramirez, Eastern Michigan
DL: Viliami Fehoko, San Jose State
EDGE: Bralen Trice, Washington
LB: Drew Sanders, Arkansas
LB: Tommy Eichenberg, Ohio State
LB: Cedric Gray, North Carolina
CB: Emmanuel Forbes, Mississippi State
CB: Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama
S: Jordan Battle, Alabama
S: Kaevon Merriweather, Iowa

Second-team Specialists

K: Christopher Dunn, NC State
P: Bryce Baringer, Michigan State
RET: Lideatrick Griffin, Mississippi State

Author(s)
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Bill Bender is a national college football writer for The Sporting News.
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