• Jayden Daniels leads the way: The LSU signal-caller is our first-team quarterback after a historic season.
• Joe Alt makes it again: For the second season in a row, the Notre Dame junior is our first-team All-American left tackle.
• Laiatu Latu leads the defense: The UCLA edge defender was an easy choice for our All-American list after pacing all players with a 95.3 grade this season.
Estimated reading time: 8 minutes
With conference championship weekend in the rearview mirror, it’s time to look back at the top performers from what was an incredible season of college football. Here’s a look at PFF’s 2023 All-American team as voted on by 17 of our analysts and data collectors.
QUARTERBACK: JAYDEN DANIELS, LSU TIGERS
Second Team: Bo Nix, Oregon Ducks
Daniels paced all quarterbacks in overall grade (94.7) and rushing grade (92.4) while coming in second for passing grade (91.9). He also led all FBS signal-callers in passing touchdowns (40), yards per attempt (11.5), passer rating (143.7) and rushing yards (1,250) while leading the nation’s most efficient offense in terms of EPA per play. Three losses be damned, he’s your Heisman Trophy winner.
Highest-graded seasons by an FBS quarterback in PFF College era (Since 2014)
| Name | School | Season | Grade |
| Mac Jones | Alabama | 2020 | 95.8 |
| Zach Wilson | BYU | 2020 | 95.4 |
| Joe Burrow | LSU | 2019 | 94.9 |
| Jayden Daniels | LSU | 2023 | 94.7 |
| Kyler Murray | Oklahoma | 2018 | 94.6 |
RUNNING BACK: OLLIE GORDON II, OKLAHOMA STATE COWBOYS
Second Team: Audric Estime, Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Gordon led the nation with 1,614 yards this season while placing second with 20 rushing touchdowns and third with 953 yards after contact. Making those numbers even more ridiculous is the fact that the true sophomore had just 19 total carries in the first three games in addition to the fact that Oklahoma State finished just 98th in the nation with a 55.4 team run-blocking grade.
WIDE RECEIVER: MALIK NABERS, LSU TIGERS
Second Team: Luther Burden III, Missouri Tigers
Nabers was the highest-graded receiver (93.0) in the country this season. He led the nation with 1,545 receiving yards while his 3.81 yards per route run paced all Power Five ones. LSU became the second school ever to produce both the highest-graded quarterback and wide receiver in a single season, joining Alabama in 2020 when the Crimson Tide had Mac Jones and DeVonta Smith.
WIDE RECEIVER: ROME ODUNZE, WASHINGTON HUSKIES
Second Team: Malik Washington, Virginia Cavaliers
Odunze’s 1,428 receiving yards trailed only Nabers among FBS receivers. He was a jump-ball machine as well. The junior’s 17 contested catches were tied for the most in the country.
WIDE RECEIVER: MARVIN HARRISON JR., OHIO STATE BUCKEYES
Second Team: Troy Franklin, Oregon Ducks
After leading all FBS receivers in grade a year ago, Harrison ranked third in the Power Five this season with an 89.9 mark. His 14 receiving touchdowns were also tied for the second-most in the country as well.
TIGHT END: BROCK BOWERS, GEORGIA BULLDOGS
Second Team: Ben Sinnott, Kansas State Wildcats
Even though Bowers missed three games due to an ankle injury, he still led all FBS tight ends in yards after the catch (486), receiving yards after contact (249) and forced missed tackles (18). This is his third time in three years as a PFF All-American, setting up a strong argument for the junior to be considered the best tight end in college football history.
LEFT TACKLE: JOE ALT, NOTRE DAME FIGHTING IRISH
Second Team: Javon Foster, Missouri Tigers
For the second year in a row, Alt finished as the highest-graded tackle in the country. His 91.0 grade this season was 4.5 points higher than the next-closest FBS tackle. The junior was second among all tackles in the nation in both pass-blocking (92.2) and run-blocking (86.9) grades this season.
LEFT GUARD: COOPER BEEBE, KANSAS STATE WILDCATS
Second Team: Clay Webb, Jacksonville State Gamecocks
After being named a second-team All-American last season, Beebe jumped up to the first-team this year. His 83.8 grade led all Power Five guards, and he was the only one in the Power Five who placed top five in both pass- (third) and run-blocking (fourth). On 1,224 pass-blocking snaps over the last three seasons, the senior only surrendered one sack. He accomplished that while even playing left tackle in 2021 before switching to left guard.
CENTER: JACKSON POWERS-JOHNSON, OREGON DUCKS
Second Team: Sedrick Van Pan, Georgia Bulldogs
Not only did Powers-Johnson lead all FBS centers in overall grade (83.2), he also paced them all in pass-blocking (91.3) and run-blocking (83.1). On 471 pass-blocking snaps, the junior only surrendered one pressure for a nation-leading 0.2% pressure rate allowed.
RIGHT GUARD: CHRISTIAN HAYNES, UCONN HUSKIES
Second Team: Tate Ratledge, Georgia Bulldogs
Like his fellow first-team guard Cooper Beebe, Haynes makes the leap after finishing as a second-team All-American a year ago. His 84.8 grade was second among all guards in the nation while his 84.0 run-blocking grade was fourth.
RIGHT TACKLE: TALIESE FUAGA, OREGON STATE BEAVERS
Second Team: JC Latham, Alabama Crimson Tide
Fuaga struck fear into opposing defensive linemen this season. His 90.7 run-blocking grade this season led all tackles in the nation by nearly four points. The junior’s 14 big-time blocks (PFF’s highest-graded blocks) were four more than the next-closest FBS tackle.
INTERIOR DEFENSIVE LINEMAN: T’VONDRE SWEAT, TEXAS LONGHORNS
Second Team: Byron Murphy II, Texas Longhorns
At 362 pounds, Sweat is an absolute monster in the run game. His 92.0 PFF run-defense grade this year led all FBS interior defensive linemen, and his 15 tackles for loss/no-gain were tied for second. That’s not to say he’s an incapable pass-rusher either, as the senior’s 14.2% pass-rush win rate was 10th among all defensive tackles in the country. He also had the best celebration of the season after catching a touchdown against Oklahoma State in the Big 12 championship this past weekend.
No big man has earned a TD more than T’Vondre Sweat.pic.twitter.com/0d9r1R2Sks
— Max Chadwick (@MaxChadwickCFB) December 2, 2023
INTERIOR DEFENSIVE LINEMAN: JER’ZHAN NEWTON, ILLINOIS FIGHTING ILLINI
Second Team: Howard Cross III, Notre Dame Fighting Irish
After leading all Power Five interior defensive linemen with 59 pressures a year ago, Newton tied for the national lead with 44 this season. He also tied for second among FBS defensive tackles with eight sacks and was tied for fifth with 25 run-defense stops.
EDGE DEFENDER: LAIATU LATU, UCLA BRUINS
Second Team: Chop Robinson, Penn State Nittany Lions
Latu has the best comeback story in college football. While at Washington, he missed the 2020 and 2021 seasons after being forced to medically retire due to a neck injury. He then transferred to UCLA and was the highest-graded player in college football this season (95.3). His 21.9% pressure rate led all FBS edge defenders while his 24.2% pass-rush win rate led all Power Five ones.
Highest-graded seasons by an FBS edge defender in the PFF College era (Since 2014)
| Name | School | Season | Grade |
| Chase Young | Ohio State | 2019 | 96.0 |
| Laiatu Latu | UCLA | 2023 | 95.3 |
| Aidan Hutchinson | Michigan | 2021 | 94.5 |
EDGE DEFENDER: BRALEN TRICE, WASHINGTON HUSKIES
Second Team: Ashton Gillotte, Louisville Cardinals
After leading the nation with 70 pressures last season, Trice once again paced the FBS with 68 pressures this year. His 16 pressures against Stanford this year were also the second-most we’ve seen by a Power Five defender in a single game. The only time someone had more was Trice himself last year when he had 18 against Washington State.
LINEBACKER: PAYTON WILSON, NC STATE WOLFPACK
Second Team: Jeremiah Trotter Jr., Clemson Tigers
Wilson was the second-most valuable linebacker in the nation this year according to PFF’s wins above-average metric. His 21 tackles for loss/no-gain were tied for the most among all linebackers in the Power Five, as were his three interceptions.
LINEBACKER: EDGERRIN COOPER, TEXAS A&M AGGIES
Second Team: Edefuan Ulofoshio, Washington Huskies
Cooper was the most valuable linebacker this season according to our wins above average metric this season and led all FBS linebackers with a 91.7 grade. He was the only linebacker with 85-plus grades as a run defender, pass-rusher and in coverage.
CORNERBACK: KOOL-AID MCKINSTRY, ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE
Second Team: Quinyon Mitchell, Toledo Rockets
McKinstry only surrendered 0.39 yards per coverage snap this season, tied for second among all corners in the country. His 27.8% forced incompletion rate ranked fifth among Power Five corners as well.
CORNERBACK: SEBASTIAN CASTRO, IOWA HAWKEYES
Second Team: Terrion Arnold, Alabama Crimson Tide
Castro led all FBS corners with a 91.4 grade this season. His 19 coverage stops were also the most in the nation, and he ranked ninth in that group with 0.46 yards allowed per coverage snap.
SAFETY: TYLER NUBIN, MINNESOTA GOLDEN GOPHERS
Second Team: Malaki Starks, Georgia Bulldogs
Nubin paced all FBS safeties with a 90.3 grade this season. On 19 targets this season, he had as many interceptions (five) as he allowed catches this season. His 17.5 passer rating allowed led all safeties in the nation as well.
SAFETY: CALEB DOWNS, ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE
Second Team: Dillon Thieneman, Purdue Boilermakers
Downs entered Alabama as the highest-rated safety recruit since Derwin James in 2018 and immediately showed why. The true freshman’s 13 coverage stops tied for fifth among Power Five safeties.
FLEX-D: KITAN OLADAPO, OREGON STATE BEAVERS
Second Team: Kris Abrams-Draine, Missouri Tigers
Oladapo’s 89.3 grade this season was fourth among all safeties in the country. He was also the only safety with 80-plus grades as a run defender, pass-rusher and in coverage.
KICKER: JOSHUA KARTY, STANFORD CARDINAL
Second Team: Andres Borregales, Miami (FL) Hurricanes
Karty’s 95.0 grade this season led all kickers by nearly three points. He converted 11 of his 14 field goal attempts from outside of 40 yards, tied for the most in the country. He also nailed all 21 of his extra-point attempts this season.
PUNTER: JAMES BURNIP, ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE
Second Team: Tory Taylor, Iowa Hawkeyes
Burnip’s 90.4 grade this season paced all FBS punters this year. His average hang time of 4.42 seconds led the nation as well.
RETURN SPECIALIST: ZACHARIAH BRANCH, USC TROJANS
Second Team: Xavier Worthy, Texas Longhorns
Branch is the definition of electric. The true freshman was the only player in the country with a kick-return touchdown and a punt-return touchdown this season.
© 2024 PFF - all rights reserved.