Derrick Brown tabbed first team AP All-American
National pundits have been heralding Auburn senior Derrick Brown as one of the top defensive players in college football all offseason.
A practical shoo-in on various All-America teams this summer, Brown was named to AP's list Tuesday morning — Auburn's first player on the preseason first team since center Reese Dismukes in 2014.
He is joined on the first-team defensive line by Alabama's Raekwon Davis, Ohio State's Chase Young and Iowa's A.J. Epenesa.
Before Brown, Auburn went the past two offseaons without an AP preseason All-America nod. Defensive tackle Montravius Adams and kicker Daniel Carlson made the second team in 2016.
The 6-foot-5, 318-pound Brown, who passed on the 2019 NFL draft to return for his senior campaign, boasts 116 career tackles, three forced fumbles and 21.5 tackles for loss in a trio of seasons on the Plains. He headlines a Tigers defensive line that is considered one of the best in the nation.
FULL 2019 AP PRESEASON ALL-AMERICA TEAM
FIRST TEAM
OFFENSE
Quarterback — Trevor Lawrence, sophomore, Clemson.
Running back — Jonathan Taylor, junior, Wisconsin; Travis Etienne, junior, Clemson.
Tackles — Andrew Thomas, junior, Georgia; Walker Little, junior, Stanford.
Guards — Shane Lemieux, senior, Oregon; Ben Bredeson, senior, Michigan.
Center — Tyler Biadasz, junior, Wisconsin.
Tight end — Albert Okwuegbunam, junior, Missouri.
Wide receivers — Jerry Jeudy, junior, Alabama; Tylan Wallace, junior, Oklahoma State.
All-purpose player — Rondale Moore, sophomore, Purdue.
Kicker — Andre Szmyt, sophomore, Syracuse.
DEFENSE
Ends — Chase Young, junior, Ohio State; A.J. Epenesa, junior, Iowa.
Tackles — Derrick Brown, senior, Auburn; Raekwon Davis, senior, Alabama.
Linebackers — Dylan Moses, junior, Alabama; Isaiah Simmons, junior, Clemson; Joe Bachie, senior, Michigan State.
Cornerbacks — Bryce Hall, senior, Virginia; Paulson Adebo, junior, Stanford.
Safeties — Grant Delpit, junior, LSU; Andre Cisco, sophomore, Syracuse.
Punter — Braden Mann, senior, Texas A&M.
SECOND TEAM
OFFENSE
Quarterback — Tua Tagovailoa, junior, Alabama.
Running backs — D’Andre Swift, junior, Georgia; Eno Benjamin, junior, Arizona State.
Tackles — Trey Adams, senior, Washington; Calvin Throckmorton, senior, Oregon.
Guards — Tommy Kraemer, senior, Notre Dame; John Simpson, senior, Clemson.
Center — Tim Harris, senior, Washington.
Tight end — Jared Pinkney, senior, Vanderbilt.
Wide receivers — Laviska Shenault Jr., junior, Colorado; Justyn Ross, sophomore, Clemson.
All-purpose player — CeeDee Lamb, junior, Oklahoma.
Kicker — Rodrigo Blankenship, senior, Georgia.
DEFENSE
Ends — Kenneth Willekes, senior, Michigan State; Julian Okwara, senior, Notre Dame.
Tackles — Leki Fotu, senior, Utah; Marvin Wilson, junior, Florida State.
Linebackers — Paddy Fisher, junior, Northwestern; Evan Weaver, senior, California; Shaquille Quarterman, senior, Miami.
Cornerbacks — Kristian Fulton, senior, LSU; CJ Henderson, junior, Florida.
Safeties — Alohi Gillman, junior, Notre Dame; Jordan Fuller, senior, Ohio State.
Punter — James Smith, junior, Cincinnati.