JSU's Webb, Troy's Vidal earn AP All-American nods

JSU’s Webb, Troy’s Vidal earn AP All-American nods

Jacksonville State offensive guard Clay Webb and Troy running back Kimani Vidal both earned spots on the Associated Press All-America team announced Monday.

Webb, a junior from Oxford, helped the Gamecocks rank third in Conference USA in total offense, scoring offense and rushing offense. He was also named first-team All-CUSA and a first-team All-American by College Football News.

Vidal, a junior from Marietta, Ga., was the Sun Belt Conference Offensive Player of the Year for the conference champion Trojans in 2023. He leads the Sun Belt with 1,582 yards and 14 touchdowns, with his yardage total ranking second nationally.

Missouri cornerback Kris Abrams-Draine, a former Spanish Fort High School star, made the second team on defense. Abrams-Draine has totaled 47 tackles, eight pass breakups and four interceptions this season.

Oregon quarterback Bo Nix was a third-team pick. The former Pinson Valley High School star and Auburn transfer has passed for 4,145 yards and 40 touchdowns with three interceptions this season, and finished third in the Heisman Trophy balloting behind fellow quarterbacks Jayden Daniels of LSU and Michael Penix of Washington.

Mississippi State linebacker Nathaniel Watson, a Maplesville native, was also a third-team pick. Watson was SEC Defensive Player of the Year in 2023, when he led the conference with 137 tackles and also added 13 tackles for loss and 10 sacks.

The other players with in-state ties on the AP All-America team were all from Alabama. Cornerbacks Kool-Aid McKinstry and Terrion Arnold and linebacker Dallas Turner made the first team, while offensive tackle JC Latham and safety Caleb Downs made the second team and kicker Will Reichard made the third team.

Troy running back Kimani Vidal (28) was named a third-team All-American by the Associated Press on Monday. (Joey Meredith/Troy athletics)Joey Meredith/Troy athletics

The AP All-America team was selected by a panel of 18 college Top 25 poll voters.

First-team offense

Quarterback — Jayden Daniels, fifth-year, LSU.

Running backs — Ollie Gordon II, second-year, Oklahoma State; Cody Schrader, sixth-year, Missouri.

Tackles — Joe Alt, third-year, Notre Dame; Olu Fashanu, fourth-year, Penn State.

Guards — Cooper Beebe, fifth-year, Kansas State; Zak Zinter, fourth-year, Michigan.

Center — Jackson Powers-Johnson, third-year, Oregon.

Tight end — Brock Bowers, third-year, Georgia.

Wide receivers — Malik Nabers, third-year, LSU; Marvin Harrison Jr., third-year, Ohio State; Rome Odunze, fourth-year, Washington.

All-purpose player — Travis Hunter, second-year, Colorado.

Kicker — Graham Nicholson, third-year, Miami (Ohio).

First-team defense

Edge rushers — Laiatu Latu, fifth-year, UCLA; Jalen Green, fifth-year, James Madison.

Interior linemen — T’Vondre Sweat, fifth-year, Texas; Jer’Zahn Newton, fourth-year, Illinois.

Linebackers — Payton Wilson, sixth-year, North Carolina State; Edgerrin Cooper, fourth-year, Texas A&M; Dallas Turner, third-year, Alabama.

Cornerbacks — Cooper DeJean, third-year, Iowa; Kool-Aid McKinstry, third-year, Alabama.

Safeties — Malaki Starks, second-year, Georgia; Xavier Watts, fourth-year, Notre Dame.

Defensive back — Terrion Arnold, third-year, Alabama.

Punter — Tory Taylor, fourth-year, Iowa.

Second-team offense

Quarterback — Michael Penix Jr., sixth-year, Washington.

Running backs — Audric Estime, third-year, Notre Dame; Omarion Hampton, second-year, North Carolina.

Tackles — Taliese Fuaga, fourth-year, Oregon State; JC Latham, third-year, Alabama.

Guards — Tate Ratledge, fourth-year, Georgia; Clay Webb, fifth-year, Jacksonville State.

Center — Sedrick Van Pran, fourth-year, Georgia.

Tight ends — Dallin Holker, fifth-year, Colorado State.

Wide receivers — Troy Franklin, third-year, Oregon; Malik Washington, fifth-year, Virginia; Luther Burden III, second-year, Missouri.

All-purpose player — Ashton Jeanty, second-year, Boise State.

Kicker — Jose Pizano, third-year, UNLV.

Second-team defense

Edge rushers — Jonah Elliss, third-year, Utah; Jared Verse, fourth-year, Florida State.

Interior linemen — Byron Murphy II, third-year, Texas; Howard Cross III, fifth-year, Notre Dame.

Linebackers — Jeremiah Trotter Jr., third-year, Clemson; Jason Henderson, third-year, Old Dominion; Jay Higgins, fourth-year, Iowa.

Cornerbacks — Quinyon Mitchell, fourth-year, Toledo; Beanie Bishop Jr., sixth-year, West Virginia.

Safeties — Tyler Nubin, fifth-year, Minnesota; Caleb Downs, first-year, Alabama.

Defensive back — Kris Abrams-Draine, fourth-year, Missouri.

Punter — Matthew Hayball, sixth-year, Vanderbilt.

Third-team offense

Quarterbacks — Bo Nix, fifth-year, Oregon.

Running backs — Blake Corum, fourth-year, Michigan; Kimani Vidal, fourth-year, Troy.

Tackles — Javon Foster, sixth-year, Missouri; Troy Fautanu, fifth-year, Washington.

Guards — Christian Haynes, sixth-year, UConn; Luke Kandra, fourth-year, Cincinnati.

Center — Zach Frazier, fourth-year, West Virginia.

Tight end — Ben Sinnott, fourth-year, Kansas State.

Wide receivers — Ricky White, fourth-year, UNLV; Brian Thomas Jr., third-year, LSU; Tetairoa McMillan, second-year, Arizona.

All-purpose player — Xavier Worthy, third-year, Texas.

Kicker — Will Reichard, fifth-year, Alabama.

Third-team defense

Edge rushers —Chop Robinson, third-year, Penn State; Bralen Trice, fifth-year, Washington.

Interior linemen — Kris Jenkins, fourth-year, Michigan; Braden Fiske, sixth-year, Florida State.

Linebackers — Nathaniel Watson, sixth-year, Mississippi State; Edefuan Ulofoshio, sixth-year, Washington; Danny Stutsman, third-year, Oklahoma.

Cornerbacks — Ricardo Hallman, third-year, Wisconsin; T.J. Tampa, fourth-year, Iowa State.

Safeties — Trey Taylor, fifth-year, Air Force; Dillon Thieneman, first-year, Purdue.

Defensive back — Sebastian Castro, fifth-year, Iowa.

Punter — James Ferguson-Reynolds, second-year, Boise State.