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 USC Junior RB Blake Corum * Michigan Senior RB Quinshon Judkins Ole Miss Sophomore WR Marvin Harrison Jr. * Ohio State Junior WR Rome Odunze Washington Junior TE Brock Bowers * Georgia Junior C Sedrick Van Pran Georgia Redshirt junior OL Joe Alt Notre Dame Junior OL Olu Fashanu Penn State Junior OL Cooper Beebe Kansas State Senior OL JC Latham Alabama Junior Defense
DL Jared Verse Florida State Redshirt junior DL JT Tuimoloau Ohio State Junior DL Jer’Zhan Newton Illinois Junior LB Harold Perkins LSU Sophomore LB Tommy Eichenberg Ohio State Graduate LB Jeremiah Trotter Jr. Clemson Junior CB Kalen King Penn State Junior CB Kool-Aid McKinstry Alabama Junior DB Kamren Kinchens Miami Junior DB Malaki Starks Georgia Sophomore DB Javon Bullard Georgia Junior Special teams
K Joshua Karty Stanford Senior P Tory Taylor Iowa Senior KR Jaylin Lucas Indiana Sophomore PR Kool-Aid McKinstry Alabama Junior AP Travis Hunter Colorado Sophomore
Second team
2023 CBS Sports Preseason All-America team: Georgia, Ohio State, Alabama, Michigan lead with most honorees
