Picking from the College Football Playoff talent pool of participating teams, how would you form a national championship all-star team?
OFFENSE
QB — Marcus Mariota, Oregon — The runaway Heisman winner rarely turns it over and has tallied 52 total touchdowns as a junior. He has thrown 101 touchdown passes and only 12 interceptions during a brilliant three-year college career. If winning the bronze statue wasn’t enough, Mariota also took home the Maxwell Award, Walter Camp Award, Davey O’Brien Award and the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award.
RB — Ezekiel Elliott, Ohio State — This 225-pound sophomore rushed for 1,402 yards in his first season as the Buckeyes’ primary ballcarrier.
RB — Royce Freeman, Oregon
WR — Amari Cooper, Alabama — The Biletnikoff recipient and school record-breaker this season for the Crimson Tide hauled in 115 passes for 1,656 yards and 14 touchdowns. He finished third in Heisman voting behind Mariota and Wisconsin’s Melvin Gordon.
WR — Rashad Greene, Florida State
TE — Nick O’Leary, Florida State — The grandson of golf great Jack Nicklaus, O’Leary won the Mackey Award this season after recording 47 catches for 614 yards and seven touchdowns.
OL — Cameron Erving, Florida State
OL — Pat Elflein, Ohio State
OL — Hroniss Grasu, Oregon — The Rimington finalist hasn’t played since injuring his leg against Utah on Nov. 8, but the Ducks expect Grasu back for the semifinal battle with Florida State.
OL — Tre’ Jackson, Florida State
OL — Arie Kouandjio, Alabama
DEFENSE
DL — Joey Bosa, Ohio State — The Bednarik Award winner as a sophomore, Bosa posted 13.5 sacks and 20 tackles for losses this season.
DL — Eddie Goldman, Florida State
DL — A’Shawn Robinson, Alabama
DL — DeForest Buckner Jr., Oregon — A key contributor at end in the Ducks’ 3-4 scheme, Buckner recorded 12 tackles for loss and earned second-team all-league honors.
LB — Joshua Perry, Ohio State
LB — Reggie Ragland, Alabama
LB — Derrick Malone Jr., Oregon
CB — Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, Oregon — One of college football’s premiere players in coverage, Ekpre-Olomu’s a first-team All-American and widely-considered an early NFL pick.
CB — P.J. Williams, Florida State
S — Landon Collins, Alabama
S — Jalen Ramsey, Florida State
SPECIALISTS
K — Roberto Aguayo, Florida State
P — JK Scott, Alabama
ATH — Christion Jones, Alabama
