2021 CFN Preseason All-America Team: Defense

Who are the best and brightest stars going into the 2021 season? The CFN Preseason All-America Team – the defense.

CFN 2021 All-America Linebackers

CFN 2021 First Team All-America Linebackers

Christian Harris, Jr. Alabama
A great recruit for Alabama – but not one of the superstar of superstar 12-star gets – the Baton Rouge native got away from LSU and was supposed to ease his way into one of the Bama linebacker gigs. Injuries hit, and boom – he was a starter early on, finishing with 61 tackles with 7.5 tackles for loss.

The 6-2, 232-pounder took his game up a few notches last season with more of a pass rush and finishing second on the national title team with 79 tackles. Now he’s the leader and star of the nation’s best linebacking corps.
Alabama Preview | Schedule

Noah Sewell, RFr. Oregon
One of the nation’s top recruits of 2020, the 6-3, 250-pound flash got thrown into the mix right away, and he delivered. He’ll eventually be even more of a pass rusher, but the two sacks and 6.5 tackles for loss in just seven games were good. Tying for a team-high 45 tackles was terrific.
Oregon Preview | Schedule

Mike Rose, Sr. Iowa State
All of the great offensive stars returning to the Cyclones will get the national attention, but – it’s no slap to RB Breece Hall here – Rose might be the team’s best player.

The 6-4, 250-pounder was the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year with 99 tackles with 1.5 sacks and 10.5 tackles for loss and five picks in his 12 games. Always a good tackler, he became a better all-around player in 2020, and now he has three years of experience.
Iowa State Preview | Schedule

CFN 2021 Second Team All-America Linebackers

Christopher Allen, Sr. Alabama

It’s easy to get lost in the shuffle of amazing Crimson Tide players on the 2020 team. Allen didn’t win the Heisman, he wasn’t part of the jaw-dropping offense, and he was arguably the third or fourth best linebacker on the team. However, the 6-4, 252-pounder was a killer behind the line with an SEC-high 13 tackles for loss with six sacks. There won’t be any recognition problems this year.
Alabama Preview | Schedule

Olakunle Fatukasi, Sr. Rutgers
While he’s not a college football household name, Fatukasi is one of the nation’s most active tacklers with 170 over the last two years with 3.5 sacks and 14 tackles for loss. The 6-1, 234-pound rock hit Penn State and Michigan for 17 tackles each and Indiana for 14 – he got the double-digit mark six times.
Rutgers Preview | Schedule

Micah McFadden, Jr. Indiana
A 235-pound big hitter from the IU linebacking corps, he generated 119 tackles over the last two seasons with 19.5 tackles for loss. He grew into even more of a pass rusher in 2020 with six sacks, picked off two passes, and he’ll once again be a statistical superstar.
Indiana Preview | Schedule

CFN 2021 Honorable Mention All-America Linebackers

7. Grant Morgan, Sr. Arkansas
8. Nik Bonitto, Jr. Oklahoma
9. Devin Lloyd, Jr. Utah
10. Ventrell Miller, Sr. Florida
11. Josh Ross, Sr. Michigan
12. Payton Wilson, Soph. NC State

2021 CFN All-America Team: Defense
DE/Edge Rush | DT | CB | Saf

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