2026 CBS Sports Preseason All-America team: Texas, Oregon and the SEC lead honorees

There are just three unanimous first-team selections from our CBS Sports experts Aug 18, 2026 at 11:00 am ET • 3 min read Mike Meredith, CBS Sports With the college football season just a few weeks away, our panel was faced with plenty of difficult decisions when convening to select the 2026 CBS Sports Preseason All-America team. Experts across CBS Sports joined forces once again to honor the players who they believe will shine brightest on the gridiron over the next few months. Just three players received unanimous CBS Sports Preseason All-America honors: Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, Texas EDGE Colin Simmons and Notre Dame cornerback Leonard Moore. Smith, Moore and Oregon defensive tackle A'Mauri Washington all return as preseason first-team picks after ending the 2025 campaign in the same position. Miami (FL)'s Malachi Toney is a particularly noteworthy selection this preseason, chosen both as a first-team all-purpose player and second-team wide receiver. As a freshman, he amassed 1,211 yards and 10 touchdowns receiving, along with 13 yards and another score rushing, while also completing 4 of 7 passes for two touchdowns passing and gaining 298 yards on 23 punt returns. The SEC leads the way with 15 first-team and 25 overall selections, the Big Ten falling next in line with half as many total honorees. Combined, the two powerhouse conferences account for 38 of 54 total picks (70%). Ten SEC and six Big Ten programs are represented on the teams. ConferenceFirst teamTotal selectionsSEC1525Big Ten613ACC25Big 1205Independent (Notre Dame)23Sun Belt12MAC10In total, 25 programs are represented across the two teams of 54 selections. Texas leads the way with the most overall picks; all five Longhorns were chosen for the first team. Oregon, LSU and Miami (FL) are next up with four total selections, the Ducks sporting three first-teamers. Georgia, reigning champion Indiana, Notre Dame, Ole Miss and Texas Tech each saw three players selected. Adding to the accolades for Oregon are a couple of individual preseason honors with Dante Moore named 2026 CBS Sports Preseason Player of the Year and Dan Lanning earning recognition as 2026 CBS Sports Preseason Coach of the Year. 2026 CBS Sports Preseason All-America First team * Unanimous selection Offense QB Dante Moore Oregon Sr.RB Kewan Lacy Ole Miss Jr.RB Jadan Baugh Florida Jr.WR Jeremiah Smith * Ohio State Jr.WR Cam Coleman Texas Jr.TE Trey'Dez Green LSU Jr.C Drew Bobo Georgia 5th-yearOT Carter Smith Indiana 5th-yearOT Trevor Goosby Texas Sr.OG Anthonie Knapp Notre Dame Jr.OG Luke Montgomery Ohio State Sr.Defense DE/EDGE Colin Simmons * Texas Jr.DE/EDGE Dylan Stewart South Carolina Jr.DT A'Mauri Washington Oregon Sr.DT David Stone Oklahoma Jr.LB Rasheem Biles Texas Sr.LB Sammy Brown Clemson Jr.LB Xavier Atkins Auburn Jr.CB Leonard Moore * Notre Dame Jr.CB Ellis Robinson IV Georgia Jr.DB KJ Bolden Georgia Jr.DB Koi Perich Oregon Jr.Special teams K Tate Sandell Oklahoma 5th-yearP Evan Crenshaw Troy 5th-yearKRDa'Realyst ClarkKent State Sr.PRRyan NiblettTexas Sr.APMalachi ToneyMiami (FL) Soph. Second team Offense QB Trinidad Chambliss Ole Miss 5th-yearRB Ahmad Hardy Missouri Jr.RB Mark Fletcher Jr. Miami (FL) Sr.WR Malachi Toney Miami (FL) Soph.WR Charlie Becker Indiana Jr.TE Terrance Carter Jr. Texas Tech 5th-yearC Kade Pieper Iowa Sr.OT Jordan Seaton LSU Jr.OT Cayden Green Missouri Sr.OG Greg Johnson Minnesota Sr.OG Evan Tengesdahl Cincinnati Sr.Defense DE/EDGE Anthony Smith Minnesota 5th-yearDE/EDGE John Henry Daley Michigan Sr.DT Ahmad Moten Sr.Miami (FL) 5th-yearDT AJ Holmes Texas Tech 5th-yearLB Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa Notre Dame Jr.LB Rolijah Hardy Indiana Jr.LB Whit Weeks LSU Sr.CB Zabien Brown Alabama Jr.CB Brandon Finney Jr.Oregon Soph.DB Ty Benefield LSU Sr.DB Bray Hubbard Alabama Sr.Special teams K Lucas Carneiro Ole Miss 5th-YearP Palmer Williams Baylor Sr.KR Chauncy Cobb Arkansas State Sr.PR Vicari Swain South Carolina Sr.APJ'Koby WilliamsTexas Tech Jr.