Four Clemson players, Gamecocks’ Samuel named AP Preseason All-Americans

(WOLO) – Carolina’s Deebo Samuel is joined by four Clemson players on the 2018 Associated Press Preseason All-America rosters.

Tigers seniors Mitch Hyatt, Clelin Ferrell, and Christian Wilkins, alongside junior Dexter Lawrence give Dabo Swinney’s program four athletes represented as college football’s best by the AP’s voters. The teams were released one day after the Preseason AP Top 25 slotted Clemson No. 2 and the Gamecocks just left out of the initial rankings.

Ferrell is one of only four players who were selected as 2017 first-team All-Americans to receive the same nod before the 2018 campaign begins, joining Stanford’s Bryce Love, Wisconsin’s T.J. Edwards, and Utah’s Matt Gay.

Clemson’s three first-team picks are tied with Wisconsin for most in the nation.

FIRST TEAM

Offense

Quarterback — Will Grier, senior, West Virginia.

Running backs — Bryce Love, senior, Stanford; Jonathan Taylor, sophomore, Wisconsin.

Tackles — Jonah Williams, junior, Alabama; Mitch Hyatt, senior, Clemson.

Guards — Beau Benzschawel, senior, Wisconsin; Nate Herbig, junior, Stanford.

Center — Ross Pierschbacher, senior, Alabama.

Tight end — Noah Fant, junior, Iowa.

Receivers — A.J. Brown, junior, Mississippi; David Sills V, senior, West Virginia.

All-purpose player — Myles Gaskin, senior, Washington.

Kicker — Matt Gay, senior, Utah.

Defense

Ends — Nick Bosa, junior, Ohio State; Clelin Ferrell, junior, Clemson.

Tackles — Ed Oliver, junior, Houston; Christian Wilkins, Senior, Clemson.

Linebackers — Devin White, junior, LSU; Devin Bush, junior, Michigan; T.J. Edwards, senior, Wisconsin.

Cornerbacks — Greedy Williams, sophomore, LSU; Deandre Baker, senior, Georgia.

Safeties — Jaquan Johnson, senior, Miami; Taylor Rapp, junior, Washington.

Punter — Mitch Wishnowsky, senior, Utah.

SECOND TEAM

Offense

Quarterback — Trace McSorley, senior, Penn State.

Running backs — A.J. Dillon, sophomore, Boston College; Damien Harris, junior, Alabama.

Tackles — David Edwards, junior, Wisconsin; Greg Little, junior, Mississippi.

Guards — Alex Bars, senior, Notre Dame; Michael Dieter, senior, Wisconsin.

Center — Sam Mustipher, senior, Notre Dame.

Tight end — Kaden Smith, junior, Stanford.

Receivers — K’Neal Harry, junior, Arizona State; Anthony Johnson, senior, Buffalo.

All-purpose player — Deebo Samuel. senior, South Carolina.

Kicker — Rodrigo Blankenship, junior, Georgia.

Defense

Ends — Rashan Gary, junior, Michigan; Raekwon Davis, junior, Alabama.

Tackles — Dexter Lawrence, junior, Clemson; Jeffrey Simmons, junior, Mississippi State.

Linebackers — Cameron Smith, senior, Southern California; Troy Dye, junior, Oregon; Mack Wilson, sophomore, Alabama.

Cornerbacks — Byron Murphy, sophomore, Washington; Julian Love, junior, Notre Dame.

Safeties — Lukas Dennis, senior, Boston College; Andrew Wingard, senior, Wyoming.

Punter — Jake Bailey, senior, Stanford.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.