SI

Melvin Gordon, Amari Cooper lead SI.com's 2014 All-America Team

SI.com honors the best of the best with its 2014 All-America Team, headlined by Heisman Trophy-winner Marcus Mariota and runner up Melvin Gordon.

SI.com Staff

Melvin Gordon, Amari Cooper lead SI.com's 2014 All-America Team
Melvin Gordon, Amari Cooper lead SI.com's 2014 All-America Team /

With Heisman Trophy and plenty of other awards doled out, it's time to give a few more honors. SI.com released its midseason All-America Team in October, but much has changed since -- though a few familiar names remain, like that quarterback from Oregon. Now that the full regular season is in the books, here's the best of the best, the 2014 SI.com All-America Team.

Perhaps the biggest surprise of the list isn't any particular name but rather the players' conference affiliations. The Pac-12 topped the SEC, and all other conferences with eight first-team selections, while the SEC added seven. The ACC contributed five members, while three came from the Big Ten, one from the Big 12 and two from Group of Five conferences. Alabama and Florida State tied for the most first-team selections with four each, followed by Oregon with three. Ohio State, the fourth playoff contender along with the Crimson Tide, Seminoles and Ducks, did not get a single player on the first team, though defensive end Joey Bosa earned a second-team selection

To get ready for bowl season, check out SI.com's complete bowl schedule and Martin Rickman's breakdown of the top 20 bowl games to watch.

• STAPLES: Who could be next year's Marcus Mariota?

. QB - Marcus Mariota

Oregon, Junior

This year’s Heisman Trophy winner threw a staggering 38 TDs against only two INTs for Oregon.

. RB - Melvin Gordon

Wisconsin, Junior

Wisconsin’s workhorse paced the nation in rush yards (2,336) and averaged 7.6 yards per carry.

Image placeholder title

. RB - Tevin Coleman

Indiana, Junior

Indiana’s 2000-yard rusher set the Hoosiers’ single-season record with four 200-yard rushing games.

. WR - Amari Cooper

Alabama, Junior

Cooper, Alabama's first Biletnikoff Award winner, hauled in an SEC-record 115 catches for 1,656 yards.

Image placeholder title

. WR - Rashard Higgins

Colorado State, Sophomore

The nation’s leader in receiving yards per game (149.1) and receiving scores (17) had nine 100-yard games.

Image placeholder title

. TE - Nick O'Leary

Florida State, Senior

O’Leary, this year’s Mackey Award winner, had three catches for 97 yards and a score in the ACC title game.

Image placeholder title

. OT - Brandon Scherff

Iowa, Senior

Iowa’s 6-5, 320-pound tackle took home the Outland Trophy after starting all 12 games this season.

Image placeholder title

. OG - Arie Kouandjio

Alabama, Senior

Kouandjio was the anchor of an Alabama offensive line that allowed only 13 sacks en route to an SEC title. 

Image placeholder title

. C - Hroniss Grasu

Oregon, Senior

Oregon’s center earned the team’s Ed Moshofsky Award as the team’s top O-lineman while snapping to Mariota.

Image placeholder title

. OG - Tre' Jackson

Florida State, Senior

The 6-4, 330-pounder was a key blocker for a Seminoles attack that averaged nearly 35 points per game.

Image placeholder title

. OT - Andrus Peat

Stanford, Junior

Peat helped the Cardinal allow only 22 sacks -- first in the Pac-12 -- as the O-line’s lone returning starter.

Image placeholder title

. DE - Shane Ray

Missouri, Junior

The junior racked up 14 sacks and 21 tackles for loss and was named SEC defensive player of the year.

Image placeholder title

. DT - Eddie Goldman

Florida State, Junior

When Florida State needed a big defensive play this season, it often came from the Washington D.C. native.

Image placeholder title

. DE - Nate Orchard

Utah, Senior

Utah got production in droves from the senior, who had 17.5 sacks on the year.

. LB - Scooby Wright III

Arizona, Sophomore

Scooby’s going to need a bigger mantle. He also won the Chuck Bednarik, Lombardi and Bronko Nagurski awards.

. LB - Benardrick McKinney

Mississippi State, Junior

Put up 61 tackles and eight tackles for loss with a rare combination of speed and size at the linebacker position.

. LB - Shaq Thompson

Washington, Junior

A true do-it-all player, Thompson scored six total touchdowns as a defender and a running back. 

Image placeholder title

. LB - Eric Kendricks

UCLA, Senior

Kendricks was a tackle machine this season, compiling 139 overall as he anchored the Bruins defense.

Image placeholder title

. CB - Senquez Golson

Ole Miss, Senior

Plays much bigger than his listed 5-9 height and piled up stats including nine interceptions.

. S - Landon Collins

Alabama, Junior

One of the best all-around players in college football who always seems to make the right play.

Image placeholder title

. S - Gerod Holliman

Louisville, Sophomore

His ball-hawking nature left him tied for the single-season interceptions record with 14.

Image placeholder title

. CB - Ifo Ekpre-Olomu

Oregon, Senior

A player so athletically gifted he often makes a big play even if he gets beat (which isn’t often).

. K - Roberto Aguayo

Florida State, Sophomore

With all the close games the Seminoles played, there's no way they'd be undefeated without Aguayo.

. P - JK Scott

Alabama, Freshman

The only freshman to make the first team, Scott dropped 26 of his 48 punts inside the 20-yard line.

Image placeholder title

. R - J.J. Nelson

UAB, Senior

No charity award for UAB here, Nelson led the nation in kick return average and took four kicks back for scores.

. AP - Tyler Lockett

Kansas State, Senior

The All-Big 12 receiver racked up 2,047 all-purpose yards and topped the FBS with 19 yards per punt return.

Second Team

Offense

QB Trevone Boykin, Jr., TCU

RB Ameer Abdullah, Sr., Nebraska

RB Samaje Perine, Fr., Oklahoma

WR Jaelen Strong, Jr., Arizona State

WR Kevin White, Sr., West Virginia

TE Evan Engram, So., Ole Miss

OT Cedric Ogbuehi, Sr., Texas A&M

OG A.J. Cann, Sr., South Carolina

C Reese Dismukes, Sr., Auburn

OG Shaquille Mason, Sr., Georgia Tech

OT La'el Collins, Sr., LSU

Defense

DE Joey Bosa, So., Ohio State

DT Leonard Williams, Jr., USC

DE Mario Edwards Jr., Jr., Florida State

LB Eric Striker, Jr., Oklahoma

LB Hau'oli Kikaha, Sr., Washington

LB Jordan Hicks, Sr., Texas

LB Paul Dawson, Sr., TCU

CB Kendall Fuller, So., Virginia Tech

S Cody Prewitt, Sr., Ole Miss

S Jalen Ramsey, So., Florida State

CB Vernon Hargreaves III, So., Florida

Special Teams

K Brad Craddock, Jr., Maryland

P Tom Hackett, Jr., Utah

R DeMornay Pierson-El, Fr., Nebraska

AP Tyler Boyd, So., Pittsburgh

Honorable Mention

Published
SI.com Staff
SI.COM STAFF

Home/College