The 2017 college football season is just around the corner, and it’s time to honor the best of the best for the upcoming year. The 2017 season features plenty of big names returning to the gridiron, including a standout group of quarterbacks. Louisville's Lamar Jackson is the reigning Heisman winner, and he's joined by Ohio State's J.T. Barrett, Oklahoma's Baker Mayfield and USC's Sam Darnold as the top returning signal-callers in the nation. The defensive line and running back positions are two spots where the All-America field is crowded for 2017. Penn State's Saquon Barkley and LSU's Derrius Guice are Heisman contenders, while second-team selections like Georgia's Nick Chubb and Auburn's Kamryn Pettway rank among the SEC's top returning players. Up front on defense, three Clemson linemen earn selections for the All-America squad, while Houston's Ed Oliver takes a spot on the first team after a standout freshman campaign.

Athlon Sports released its 2017 all-conference teams earlier this offseason, and now the focus shifts to the All-America team. Whether it’s quarterback, defensive end or a spot on the special teams, picking the best of the best is no easy task.

An important note on the All-America teams: These are based on how players will perform in 2017. Career statistics and previous awards matter in player evaluation, but choosing players for the 2017 All-America team and all-conference teams are largely based on predicting and projecting the upcoming year.

2017 Athlon Sports All-Conference Teams

Power 5: ACC | Big 12 | Big Ten | Pac-12 | SEC

Group of 5: American | C-USA | MAC | Mountain West | Sun Belt

Athlon Sports 2017 All-America Team

First-Team Offense Second-Team Offense Third-Team Offense Fourth-Team Offense QB Baker Mayfield Oklahoma Sam Darnold USC Lamar Jackson Louisville J.T. Barrett Ohio State RB Saquon Barkley Penn State Royce Freeman Oregon Nick Chubb Georgia Myles Gaskin Washington RB Derrius Guice LSU Kamryn Pettway Auburn Justin Jackson Northwestern Ronald Jones USC AP Jaylen Samuels (AP) NC State Richie James (WR) MTSU Quadree Henderson (AP) Pitt Ahmmon Richards (WR) Miami WR James Washington Oklahoma State Courtland Sutton SMU Allen Lazard Iowa State Anthony Miller Memphis WR Christian Kirk Texas A&M Calvin Ridley Alabama Dante Pettis Washington Michael Gallup Colorado State TE Troy Fumagalli Wisconsin Mike Gesicki Penn State Adam Breneman UMass Mark Andrews Oklahoma C Frank Ragnow Arkansas Billy Price Ohio State Mason Cole (OL) Michigan James Daniels Iowa OL Orlando Brown Oklahoma Quenton Nelson Notre Dame Trey Adams Washington Jamarco Jones Ohio State OL Connor Williams Texas Jonah Williams Alabama Will Hernandez UTEP Tyrone Crowder Clemson OL Braden Smith Auburn Mitch Hyatt Clemson Sean Welsh Iowa Will Clapp LSU OL Cody O'Connell Washington State Mike McGlinchey Notre Dame Brian O'Neill Pitt Dalton Risner Kansas State

First-Team Defense Second-Team Defense Third-Team Defense Fourth-Team Defense DL Harold Landry Boston College Bradley Chubb NC State Da'Ron Payne Alabama Lowell Lotulelei Utah DL Dexter Lawrence Clemson Maurice Hurst Michigan Trenton Thompson Georgia Duke Ejiofor Wake Forest DL Ed Oliver Houston Tyquan Lewis Ohio State Marquis Haynes Ole Miss Derrick Nnadi Florida State DL Christian Wilkins Clemson Vita Vea Washington Dorance Armstrong Kansas Hercules Mata'afa Washington State LB Arden Key LSU Cameron Smith USC Jerome Baker Ohio State Clelin Ferrell Clemson LB Josey Jewell Iowa Tegray Scales Indiana Tremaine Edmunds Virginia Tech Shaun Dion Hamilton Alabama LB Azeem Victor Washington Micah Kiser Virginia Jordan Jones Kentucky Travin Howard TCU CB Jaire Alexander Louisville Duke Dawson Florida Jordan Thomas Oklahoma Roquan Smith (LB) Georgia CB Tarvarus McFadden Florida State Greg Stroman Virginia Tech Quenton Meeks Stanford D.J. Reed Kansas State S Minkah Fitzpatrick Alabama Quin Blanding Virginia Marcus Allen Penn State Chase Hansen Utah S Derwin James Florida State Godwin Igwebuike Northwestern Ronnie Harrison Alabama Jordan Whitehead Pitt

First-Team Specialists Second-Team Specialists Third-Team Specialists Fourth-Team Specialists K Daniel Carlson Auburn Eddy Pineiro Florida Gary Wunderlich Ole Miss Emmit Carpenter Minnesota P Mitch Wishnowsky Utah J.K. Scott Alabama Michael Dickson Texas Johnny Townsend Florida KR Quadree Henderson Pitt Evan Berry Tennessee Rashaad Penny SDSU Janarion Grant Rutgers PR Christian Kirk Texas A&M Dante Pettis Washington KaVontae Turpin TCU Charles Nelson Oregon