Athlon Sports released its preseason All-American team for the 2019 season and several Clemson football players made the list.
Eight total Clemson football players made Athlon Sports’ preseason All-American team for the 2019 season, but at least a couple weren’t in their rightful spots.
Athlon Sports released its 2019 preseason All-American team with Alabama leading the way with eight selections. The Tigers were second with eight- as mentioned above- and Georgia was third with five. Interestingly enough, there is five-way tie for fourth with Iowa, Ohio State, Texas, Oklahoma and Utah.
Here’s a look at the Clemson football players who made the list.
Offense:
- Travis Etienne, first-team RB
- Trevor Lawrence- second-team QB
- Tee Higgins, second-team WR
- Justyn Ross, second-team WR
- John Simpson, second-team OL
Defense:
- Xavier Thomas, second-team DE
- Isaiah Simmons, second-team LB
- AJ Terrell, fourth-team CB
Thoughts:
The first thing that comes to my mind when I look at this list is that Trevor Lawrence got snubbed. After watching the National Championship game, I just don’t see how a publication can put him behind Tua Tagovailoa in the preseason. At the very least, it should be Lawrence’s spot to lose.
Instead, they just give him the benefit of the doubt because he threw for a bunch of yards against subpar SEC competition. Anyway, outside of the quarterback discussion, I still would’ve had Justyn Ross as the first-team WR instead of Oklahoma State’s Tylan Wallace, though I do believe that Wallace is very talented.
Travis Etienne on the first team is no surprise, however, there will be a discussion between him, Jonathan Taylor, D’Andre Swift and Najee Harris if it comes down to one spot instead of two on the first-team later this season.
It’s nice to see the national media taking notice of Xavier Thomas already, even if he hasn’t started a game yet and Isaiah Simmons certainly will have an argument to become a first-teamer before it’s all said and done.