Not that it comes as a surprise, but the nation’s two best college football teams are well represented on the 2011 AP All-America Football Team.
Top-ranked LSU had three players selected to the first team defense while No.2 Alabama had a total of four players make the first team offense and defense.
Tyrann Mathieu, college football’s best playmaker, and teammate Morris Claiborne were chosen as the top two cornerbacks for the AP’s first team defense.
Joining Mathieu and Claiborne on the first team defense was LSU punter Brad Wing.
Alabama’s Trent Richardson was chosen as one of the AP’s first team running backs and the Crimson Tide’s Barrett Jones was selected as one of the first team tackles.
Linebacker Dont’a Hightower and safety Mark Barron represented Alabama on the AP’s first team defense.
Ten of the 25 players on the AP’s first team offense and defense were from SEC teams. Six players from Big Ten conference teams were chosen, while the Big 12, Pac-12 and the ACC each had three players selected.
First Team Offense
Quarterback – Robert Griffin III, junior, 6-foot-2, 220 pounds, Baylor
Running Backs – Montee Ball, junior, 5-11, 210, Wisconsin; Trent Richardson, junior, 5-11, 224, Alabama
Tackles – Barrett Jones, senior, 6-5, 311, Alabama; Matt Kalil, junior, 6-7, 295, Southern California
Guards – David DeCastro, senior, 6-5, 310, Stanford; Kevin Zeitler, senior, 6-4, 318, Wisconsin
Center – David Molk, senior, 6-2, 286, Michigan
Wide Receivers – Justin Blackmon, junior, 6-1, 215, Oklahoma State; Robert Woods, sophomore, 6-1, 180, Southern California
Tight End – Dwayne Allen, junior, 6-4, 255, Clemson
All-purpose Player – Sammy Watkins, freshman, 6-1, 180, Clemson
Kicker – Randy Bullock, senior, 5-9, 212, Texas A&M
First Team Defense
Ends – Melvin Ingram, senior, 6-2, 276, South Carolina; Whitney Mercilus, junior, 6-4, 265, Illinois
Tackles – Devon Still, senior, 6-5, 310, Penn State; Jerel Worthy, junior, 6-3, 310, Michigan State
Linebackers – Luke Kuechly, junior, 6-3, 237, Boston College; Jarvis Jones, sophomore, 6-3, 241, Georgia; Dont’a Hightower, junior, 6-4, 260, Alabama
Cornerbacks – Morris Claiborne, junior, 6-0, 185, LSU; Tyrann Mathieu, sophomore, 5-9, 175, LSU
Safeties – Mark Barron, senior, 6-2, 218, Alabama; Bacarri Rambo, junior, 6-0, 218, Georgia
Punter – Brad Wing, freshman, 6-3, 184, LSU
