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Penn State’s Trace McSorley named to AP’s preseason All-America second team

Trace McSorley is a Heisman hopeful.

There's a lot of hype circling around Penn State quarterback Trace McSorley this summer.
There's a lot of hype circling around Penn State quarterback Trace McSorley this summer.Read moreELIZABETH ROBERTSON / Staff Photographer

Trace McSorley's name has been all over college football award watch lists this summer, so it's no surprise he's received yet another accolade.

The Penn State quarterback has been selected to the Associated Press' preseason All-America second team. He's the only Nittany Lion representative on this year's team.

Chosen by AP poll voters, the team announced Tuesday features Stanford's Heisman Trophy runner-up Bryce Love and Houston's Ed Oliver, winner of last season's Outland Trophy, awarded to the best lineman in the country.

Love, along with Clemson defensive end Clelin Ferrell, Wisconsin linebacker T.J. Edwards and Utah kicker Matt Gay, were the only players who made first team all-American after last season and first team to start this season. Love ran for 2,118 yards and 8.05 per carry last season and was second to Baker Mayfield in the Heisman Trophy voting.

The first-team quarterback is West Virginia's Will Grier.

Oliver was a second-team all-American last year after being first team as a freshman in 2016.

Clemson and Wisconsin led the way with three players on the first team. Alabama and Wisconsin each had a total of five players on the first and second teams combined.

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: N'Keal 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.