Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe, Colorado cornerback Travis Hunter and USC return specialist Zachariah Branch headline Action Network’s 2024 Preseason All-America team as the offensive, defensive and special teams players of the year, respectively.
Action Network senior writer Collin Wilson and I selected the 52-player team, featuring players from 39 schools.
Leading the way are Alabama, Ohio State and Oregon with three selections each. Arizona, Florida State, LSU, Michigan, Notre Dame, Oklahoma State and USC each have two players on the team.
Nine players named to Action Network’s 2024 Preseason All-America team were also selected as 2023 All-Americans: Branch, Missouri wide receiver Luther Burden III, Ohio State safety Caleb Downs, Oklahoma State running back Ollie Gordon II, Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty, Alabama kicker Graham Nicholson, Miami (OH) linebacker Matt Salopek, Jacksonville State offensive lineman Clay Webb and UNLV wide receiver Ricky White.
Downs and Nicholson became the first Action Network All-Americans to make the team at two different schools. Downs was at Alabama last season before transferring to Ohio State, while Nicholson was at Miami (OH) before transferring to Alabama.
The SEC tops all conferences with 16 selections, followed by the Big Ten (14), ACC (seven), Big 12 (seven), Mountain West (three), Conference USA (two), Notre Dame (two) and MAC (one).
1st-Team Offense
QB
Jalen Milroe
Alabama · Junior
RB
Ollie Gordon II*
Oklahoma State · Junior
WR
Luther Burden III*
Missouri · Junior
WR
Tez Johnson
Oregon · Senior
WR
Ricky White*
UNLV · Senior
TE
Colston Loveland
Michigan · Junior
OT
Will Campbell
LSU · Junior
OG
Luke Kandra
Cincinnati · Senior
C
Cooper Mays
Tennessee · Senior
OG
Donovan Jackson
Ohio State · Senior
OT
Xavier Truss
Georgia · Senior
1st-Team Defense
DE
Abdul Carter
Penn State · Junior
DE
Nic Scourton
Texas A&M · Junior
DL
Deone Walker
Kentucky · Junior
DL
Walter Nolen
Ole Miss · Junior
LB
Harold Perkins Jr.
LSU · Junior
LB
Jay Higgins
Iowa · Senior
LB
Danny Stutsman
Oklahoma · Senior
CB
Travis Hunter
Colorado · Junior
CB
Denzel Burke
Ohio State · Senior
S
Xavier Watts
Notre Dame · Senior
S
Caleb Downs*
Ohio State · Sophomore
1st-Team Specialists
K
Graham Nicholson*
Alabama · Senior
P
Jeremy Crawshaw
Florida · Senior
RET
Julian Gray
Liberty · Junior
AP
Zachariah Branch*
USC · Sophomore
* 2023 Action Network All-American
AP: All-Purpose Player
2nd-Team Offense
QB
Dillon Gabriel
Oregon · Senior
RB
Ashton Jeanty*
Boise State · Junior
WR
Kevin Concepcion
NC State · Sophomore
WR
Tetairoa McMillan
Arizona · Junior
WR
Tory Horton
Colorado State · Senior
TE
Brant Kuithe
Utah · Senior
OT
Darius Washington
Florida State · Senior
OG
Clay Webb*
Jacksonville State · Senior
C
Parker Brailsford
Alabama · Sophomore
OG
Sal Wormley
Penn State · Senior
OT
Ajani Cornelius
Oregon · Senior
2nd-Team Defense
DE
Ashton Gillotte
Louisville · Senior
DE
Antwaun Powell-Ryland
Virginia Tech · Senior
DL
Bear Alexander
USC · Junior
DL
Howard Cross III
Notre Dame · Senior
LB
Matt Salopek*
Miami (OH) · Senior
LB
Collin Oliver
Oklahoma State · Senior
LB
Francisco Mauigoa
Miami · Senior
CB
Tacario Davis
Arizona · Junior
CB
Will Johnson
Michigan · Junior
S
Dillon Thieneman
Purdue · Sophomore
S
Hunter Wohler
Wisconsin · Senior
2nd-Team Specialists
K
Bert Auburn
Texas · Senior
P
Alex Mastromanno
Florida State · Senior
RET
Barion Brown
Kentucky · Junior
AP
Keionte Scott
Auburn · Senior
* 2023 Action Network All-American
AP: All-Purpose Player
2024 Action Network Preseason Players of the Year
Offensive Player of the Year
Alabama's Jalen Milroe
Defensive Player of the Year
Colorado's Travis Hunter
Special Teams Player of the Year
USC's Zachariah Branch
