Alabama Football: Checking out pre-season Freshman All-Americans

As Alabama football fans know well it is possible for exceptional true freshman players to make an impact in their first college season. Nick Saban always puts his best players on the field giving first-year players equal opportunity to earn playing time. Many have become starters in their first Alabama football season.

This week the latest college sports platform, On3.com published a 2022 preseason True Freshman All-American Team. Twelve players were chosen on offense and defense for a total of 24 players.

A full list is provided below, but first some notable points.

• Of the 24 players selected, 12 are from current SEC teams. If future SEC member Texas was included, the number would grow by one to over one-half of all the players selected.
• There were no players selected from any Group of Five team.
• The ACC and the Pac 12 each had three players chosen.
• The Big Ten and the Big 12 had two players each.
• The remaining two programs with selected players were Notre Dame and Jackson State, each with one.
• Based on multiple sources, more than half of these freshmen are likely starters, providing immediate help for their teams. More than a few should quickly become impact players.

The breakdown of the 12 SEC players chosen was Texas A&M, with three; LSU, Georgia and Alabama with two each; one each from Missouri, Kentucky and Florida.

Alabama football fans will want to know that while a Clemson quarterback was selected, Crimson Tide freshman, Ty Simpson received an honorable mention.

The Complete Freshman All-America List with Alabama football players in bold

Freshman All-American Offense

• Quarterback – Cade Klubnick; Clemson Tigers – The former 5-Star was ranked the No. 1 QB in the 2022 class. (Note: Ty Simpson was No. 2)
• Running Back – Nick Singleton; Penn State
• Wide Receiver – Evan Stewart; Texas A&M – The No. 2 WR in the 2022 class should be an immediate starter for the Aggies.
• Wide Receiver – Luther Burden; Missouri – The No. 1 WR is expected to start for the Tigers.
• Wide Receiver – Jordan Husdon; TCU
• All-Purpose – Kobe Prentice; Alabama Crimson Tide – Prentice has already drawn a strong review by Nick Saban.
• Tight End – Jake Johnson; Texas A&M
• Offensive Line – Will Campbell; LSU – Another almost sure starter
• Offensive Line – Kelvin Banks; Texas – A probable starter for the Longhorns
• Offensive Line – Blake Miller; Clemson
• Offensive Line – Zach Rice; North Carolina
• Offensive Line – Josh Conerly Jr.; Oregon

Freshman All-American Defense

• Defensive Line – Deone Walker; Kentucky
• Defensive Line – Walter Nolen; Texas A&M – Expected first-game starter
• Edge – Mykell Williams; Georgia
• Edge – David Bailey; Stanford
• Linebacker – Lander Barton; Utah
• Linebacker – Harold Perkins; LSU
• Linebacker – Jihaad Campbell; Alabama Crimson Tide – Campbell is a future Tide starter, but the bench ahead of him is too deep now.
• All-Purpose – Travis Hunter; Jackson State
• Safety – Malaki Starks; Georgia
• Cornerback – Jaden Mickey; Notre Dame
• Cornerback – Will Johnson; Michigan
• Cornerback – Devin Morre; Florida

As long as SEC programs continue to dominate such lists, SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey should maintain his, no future CFB Playoff automatic qualifiers, position.