Talent galore: The On3 preseason All-America defense
We unveiled the On3 Preseason All-America offense on Saturday, and today it’s the Preseason All-America defense.
The Big 12 led the way with four offensive selections; the SEC leads the way with four defensive selections. Also worth noting: Eight of the players on the defensive squad are from the 2019 and ’20 recruiting classes.
The line
E DeMarvin Leal, Texas A&M
The particulars: Junior, consensus five-star recruit in 2019 class, from Converse (Texas) Judson
The buzz: Leal (6-4, 290) started seven games as a freshman in 2019, then became a fulltime starter (and fulltime havoc-wreaker) last season. He is both strong and quick; he can set the edge against the run and get in the backfield and be a disruptor. Leal finished with 37 tackles, seven tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, eight quarterback hurries, three pass breakups, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and an interception last season. Coach Jimbo Fisher has praised Leal’s “unbelievable competitive edge.”
T Bryan Bresee, Clemson
The particulars: Sophomore, consensus five-star recruit in 2020 class, from Damascus (Md.) High
The buzz: Bresee (it’s pronounced bruh-ZEE) was one of the highest-rated recruits in the nation in the 2020 class and made an immediate impact for the Tigers. Bresee (6-5, 300) started 10 games, finishing with 33 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and four sacks; he was named the ACC’s Defensive Rookie of the Year and earned numerous Freshman All-America accolades. He and Tyler Davis will be perhaps the best interior duo in the nation; both benefit from lining up next to the other. Bresee’s pass-rush ability sets him apart from most defensive tackles, much less ones in their second year of college.
E Kayvon Thibodeaux, Oregon
The particulars: Junior, consensus five-star recruit in 2019 class, from Westlake Village (Calif.) Oaks Christian
The buzz: Thibodeaux (6-5, 258) was the No. 1 recruit on the West Coast in his class and has been an impact player for the Ducks since he stepped on campus. He led the Ducks with nine sacks and 14 tackles for loss as a freshman; seven of his sacks came in the fourth quarter. Last season, he led Pac-12 defensive linemen with 38 tackles and added 9.5 tackles for loss and three sacks in seven games. Pro Football Focus had him with 34 quarterback pressures and 27 quarterback hurries last season. He has big-time first-step quickness and the frame to add more bulk.
The linebackers
OLB Will Anderson, Alabama
The particulars: Sophomore, consensus five-star recruit in 2020 class, from Hampton (Ga.) Dutchtown
The buzz: Anderson (6-4, 243) earned a starting job in preseason camp and became the Tide’s best pass rusher; he led the team in both sacks (seven) and tackles for loss (10.5). Alabama’s staff named him the team’s defensive player of the week four times. Anderson was a Freshman All-American and also earned some All-SEC plaudits. Expect him to earn “regular” All-American honors this season. He worked over the Tide’s tackles in spring ball and could be at least a 12-sack guy this fall.
LB Devin Lloyd, Utah
The particulars: Fifth-year senior, consensus three-star recruit in 2017 class, from Chula Vista (Calif.) Otay Ranch
The buzz: Lloyd was a safety (and punter) in high school, then redshirted as a true freshman and played mostly special teams in 2018. He moved into the starting lineup in 2019 and has become a star. Lloyd (6-3, 235) has led the Utes in tackles in each of the past two seasons, and has added 21 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks. The Utes played five games last season and Lloyd had double-digit tackles in three of them. He averaged 2.0 tackles for loss per game last season, which ranked second in the nation. Befitting a former safety, Lloyd runs well and is quick to diagnose.
LB Mike Rose, Iowa State
The particulars: Senior, consensus three-star recruit in 2018 class, from Broadview Heights (Ohio) Brecksville-Broadview Heights
The buzz: Rose (6-4, 250) is a throwback of sorts, a big, physical linebacker who packs a punch. And for a guy his size, Rose moves well. He has started every game since stepping on campus and has 248 career tackles and 29 tackles for loss. Rose also showed off his coverage skills last season, with five interceptions (a figure that ranked third nationally); two of his picks (vs. TCU and vs. Baylor) sealed Cyclones victories. He was a Freshman All-American in 2018 and a “regular” All-American last season, when he also was the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year.
OLB Nik Bonitto, Oklahoma
The particulars: Fourth-year junior, consensus four-star recruit in 2018 class, from Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas
The buzz: St. Thomas Aquinas is a football factory and Bonitto (6-3, 240) is one of the flashier models off its assembly line. He played in three games as a true freshman, then burst on the scene in the second half of the 2019 season, starting OU’s final eight games. Bonitto became a full-fledged star last season, with eight sacks, 10.5 tackles for loss and 10 quarterback hurries. He is a handful off the edge and has the potential for double-digit sacks this season. Bonitto could stand to get more physical, but it’s his pass-rush ability that will earn him big bucks. He is the main reason OU’s linebackers are the best defensive position group in the Big 12.
The secondary
CB Andrew Booth, Clemson
The particulars: Junior, consensus five-star recruit in 2019 class, from Lawrenceville (Ga.) Archer
The buzz: Booth (6-0, 200) didn’t see much time as a true freshman and was a part-time starter last season. So how come he’s on a preseason All-America team? Booth has an immense skill set and a knack for big plays, and he should be the standout in the Tigers’ secondary this season. He has 36 tackles (2.5 for loss), five pass breakups, two interceptions, a sack and a fumble recovery for a TD in 24 career games. He has good size and speed and big-time athletic skills, and was a second-team All-ACC selection last season even though he started just four games.
CB Derek Stingley Jr., LSU
The particulars: Junior, consensus five-star recruit in 2019 class, from Baton Rouge (La.) The Dunham School
The buzz: He was considered the best corner in his recruiting class and should be the top corner in the nation this season. He started all 15 games as a true freshman in 2019, when LSU won the national title, and while LSU struggled last season, any issues Stingley (6-1, 195) had came about because of LSU’s “scheme” (the coaches’ word, not ours, as there seemed to be no discernible desire on the part of last season’s defensive staff to make sure what they wanted to do meshed with what the players could do). Stingley had six picks and 15 pass breakups as a freshman, and those numbers dropped to zero and five last season (he did miss three games with an injury). Still, he is a legit shutdown corner and will team with Eli Ricks to give LSU the best corner duo in the nation.
FS Kyle Hamilton, Notre Dame
The particulars: Junior, consensus four-star recruit in 2019 class, from Atlanta Marist School
The buzz: Hamilton (6-4, 220) is a physical (and athletic) presence in the back end of the Irish defense. He was a key reserve as a true freshman, then blossomed into a star last season; he had 63 tackles, an interception and six pass breakups in earning All-ACC honors and numerous All-America mentions. Hamilton has five interceptions and 12 pass breakups in his career. He possesses great size, good speed and high-level athleticism, and provides the versatility that makes him a legit back-end weapon for new coordinator Marcus Freeman. Hamilton has the size to play in the box and to match up with tight ends, and also has enough range to cover wide receivers downfield.
SS Jordan Battle, Alabama
The particulars: Junior, consensus four-star recruit in 2019 class, from Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas
The buzz: Another model off the St. Thomas Aquinas assembly line. Battle became a starter down the stretch of his true freshman season in 2019, then became one of the best safeties in the SEC last season. This fall, he should be one of the best safeties in the nation. Battle (6-1, 210) made 66 tackles last season, third-most for the Tide, and added a pick-six (against Kentucky) and four pass breakups. He’s a heady player (St. Thomas Aquinas players generally arrive on campuses college-ready) who runs well and has solid ball skills. Look for his coverage skills to improve this fall.
The specialists
K Cade York, LSU
The particulars: Junior, consensus three-star recruit in 2019 class, from Prosper (Texas) High
The buzz: York has one of the strongest legs in the nation and also is accurate; that’s sort of the best combination a kicker can have. He is 39-of-48 in his career, an 81.3 percent conversion rate. York already holds the school record for most 50-yard field goals in a career, with 10; six of those came last season, including a 57-yarder with 23 seconds left to lift the Tigers to an upset at Florida. He was 6-of-7 on 50-yard attempts last season and 4-of-5 in 2019.
P Lou Hedley, Miami
The particulars: Fifth-year junior, recruited out of City College in San Francisco in 2019 class
The buzz: An Australian native, Hedley was second in the nation in punting last season (an average of 47.2 yards on 49 punts) and helped UM lead the nation in net punting (44.96 yards per punt). Hedley had 19 punts of at least 50 yards, dropped 13 inside the 20 and had just two touchbacks. He was a finalist for the Ray Guy Award, losing out to Georgia Tech’s Pressley Harvin III, who also beat him out for first-team All-America and first-team All-ACC honors. The heavily tatted Hedley, 25, has become a cult hero of sorts for Miami fans.