2025 Walter Camp Preseason FBS All-America Teams; 2025 will mark the 136th edition of the nation’s oldest college football All-America team

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A Little History

Walter Camp is the nation’s oldest college football All-America team.  Considered the “Father of American Football,” Walter Camp introduced the play from scrimmage, set plays, the numerical assessment of goals and tries and the restriction of play to eleven men per side in 1880.

Nine years later in 1889, Mr. Camp, then the Yale University head coach, selected the first-ever college football All-America team.

The Walter Camp Football Foundation – a New Haven-based all-volunteer group – was founded in 1967 to perpetuate the ideals of Camp and to continue the tradition of selecting annually an All-America team.

Typically announced in early December, the Walter Camp All-America teams are selected by the FBS head coaches and sports information directors.

  • From 1889 to 1964, eleven players were selected.
  • In 1965, both offensive and defensive teams were picked.
  • In 1972, the first punter (Ray Guy, Southern Mississippi) was honored.
  • In 1975, the first placekicker (Chris Bahr, Penn State) was selected.
  • In 1998, the first-ever Second Team All-America team was recognized.
  • In 2001, the first kick returner (Herb Haygood, Michigan State) was picked.

Representations

  • Players from 34 different schools and eight conferences (including independents) are represented on the 2025 Walter Camp Preseason All-America First and Second teams.
  • The Southeastern Conference has the most schools (12) and players (16) on the 2025 preseason team, followed by the Big Ten (9 schools, 15 players). The Atlantic Coast Conference has nine players from six of its member schools.
  • Five schools (Alabama, Clemson, Indiana, Penn State and Texas) have three players on the preseason All-America teams.
  • Defending national champion Ohio State and runner-up Notre Dame each have two first team preseason All-Americans.

 

Good to See You Again

  • Seven players on the 2025 preseason list earned 2024 Walter Camp All-America First and Second Team honors, led by Ohio State defensive back Caleb Downs (First Team) and wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (Second Team).
  • Two offensive lineman who earned Second Team All-America honors a year ago – Spencer Fano (Utah) and Kage Casey (Boise State) – are on the First Team preseason list.
  • Texas linebacker Anthony Hill, a Second Team honoree last season, is on the 2025 First Team preseason list.
  • Two kick returners honored in 2024 are on the 2025 preseason list – Keelan Marion (now playing at Miami; played for BYU in 2024) and Rayshawn Pleasant (now playing at Auburn; played for Tulane in 2024).

 

Please also note:  the Foundation will be announcing the Players to Watch for the 2025 Walter Camp Player of Year on Monday, August 4 as part of the National College Football Awards Association Watch List rollout. 

 

2025 Walter Camp Preseason All-America Teams

* 2024 First Team All-America selection

# – 2024 Second Team All-America selection

 

FIRST TEAM OFFENSE

Wide Receiver:  Jeremiah Smith (Ohio State) #, Ryan Williams (Alabama)

Tight End: Eli Stowers (Vanderbilt)

Offensive Line:  Spencer Fano (Utah) #, Francis Mauigoa (Miami), Kadyn Proctor (Alabama), Kage Casey (Boise State) #

Center: Jake Slaughter (Florida)

Quarterback: Cade Klubnik (Clemson)

Running Back:  Jeremiyah Love (Notre Dame), Nicholas Singleton (Penn State)

Placekicker:  Dominic Zvada (Michigan)

 

FIRST TEAM DEFENSE

Defensive Line:  Dylan Stewart (South Carolina), Colin Simmons (Texas), Peter Woods (Clemson), Zane Durant (Penn State)

Linebacker:  Anthony Hill (Texas) #, Taurean York (Texas A&M), Kyle Louis (Pittsburgh)

Defensive Back:  Caleb Downs (Ohio State) *, Leonard Moore (Notre Dame), Jermod McCoy (Tennessee), D’Angelo Ponds (Indiana)

Punter:  Brett Thorson (Georgia)

Kick Returner: Keelan Marion (Miami) *

 

SECOND TEAM OFFENSE

Wide Receiver: Jordyn Tyson (Arizona State), Elijah Sarratt (Indiana)

Tight End:  Justin Joly (North Carolina State)

Offensive Line:  Ar’maj Reed-Adams (Texas A&M), Cayden Green (Missouri), Jordan Seaton (Colorado), Olaivavega Ioane (Penn State)

Center:  Logan Jones (Iowa)

Quarterback:  Sam Leavitt (Arizona State)

Running Back:  Makhi Hughes (Oregon), Isaac Brown (Louisville)

Placekickeer:  Caden Chittenden (USC)

 

SECOND TEAM DEFENSE

Defensive Line: Mikhail Kamara (Indiana), Dontay Corleone (Cincinnati), T.J. Parker (Clemson), Tim Keenan III (Alabama)

Linebacker:  Jason Henderson (Old Dominion), Whit Weeks (LSU), Suntarine Perkins (Ole Miss)

Defensive Back: Michael Taaffe (Texas), Dillon Theineman (Oregon), Koi Perich (Minnesota), Isaiah Nwokobia (SMU)

Punter: Ryan Eckley (Michigan State)

Kick Returner: Rayshawn Pleasant (Auburn) #

 

 

Considered the “Father of American Football,” Walter Camp introduced the play from scrimmage, set plays, the numerical assessment of goals and tries and the restriction of play to eleven men per side in 1880.   Nine years later, Mr. Camp, then the Yale University head coach, selected the first-ever college football All-America team. The Walter Camp Football Foundation – a New Haven-based all-volunteer group – was founded in 1967 to perpetuate the ideals of Camp and to continue the tradition of selecting annually an All-America team.  Visit www.waltercamp.org for more information.

 

The Foundation is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA). The NCFAA was founded in 1997 as a coalition of the major collegiate football awards to protect, preserve and enhance the integrity, influence and prestige of the game’s predominant awards. The NCFAA encourages professionalism and the highest standards for the administration of its member awards and the selection of their candidates and recipients. For more information, visit the association’s website, www.ncfaa.org