USF is the projected top Group of 5 team from the 2017 Athlon Sports rankings, and the Bulls are loaded with talent for coach Charlie Strong’s debut. USF features 15 players on the 2017 American Athletic All-Conference team by Athlon Sports, which is the most of any team in the league. In addition to star quarterback Quinton Flowers, the Bulls have three first-team defenders. Memphis (13) falls just behind the Bulls, with Tulsa (11) and UCF (11) in the next tier.

Athlon Sports has released its top 25 for 2017. Now, it’s time to take a look at the best of the best and honor the top players in the league with a release of first, second, third and fourth all-conference teams for 2017.

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

American Athletic 2017 All-Conference Team

First-Team Offense Second-Team Offense Third-Team Offense Fourth-Team Offense QB Quinton Flowers USF Riley Ferguson Memphis Kyle Allen Houston Ben Hicks SMU RB D'Angelo Brewer Tulsa Dontrell Hilliard Tulane Chris High Navy Duke Catalon Houston RB Ryquell Armstead Temple Mike Boone Cincinnati Doroland Dorecus Memphis Jawon Hamilton UCF AP Braedon West SMU Arkeel Newsome UConn D'Ernest Johnson USF Darryl Bonner Navy WR Courtland Sutton SMU Tre'Quan Smith UCF Justin Hobbs Tulsa Phil Mayhue Memphis WR Anthony Miller Memphis Ventell Bryant Temple Marquez Valdes-Scantling USF Devin Gray Cincinnati WR Linell Bonner Houston Jimmy Williams East Carolina Jordan Akins (TE) UCF Mitchell Wilcox (TE) USF C Chandler Miller Tulsa Cameron Ruff USF John Leglue (OL) Tulane Matt Peart (OL) UConn OL Evan Plagg Tulsa Drew Kyser Memphis Jeremi Hall USF Tyler Hudanick UCF OL Tyler Bowling Tulsa Will Noble Houston Brandon Smith East Carolina Korey Cunningham Cincinnati OL Evan Brown SMU Andrew Wood Navy Jovahn Fair Temple Josh Jones Houston OL Evan Martin Navy Gabe Kuhn Memphis Leon Johnson Temple Marcus Norman USF

First-Team Defense Second-Team Defense Third-Team Defense Fourth-Team Defense DL Ed Oliver Houston Jamiyus Pittman UCF Kevin Mouhon Cincinnati Jonathan Wilson Memphis DL Justin Lawler SMU Jesse Brubaker Tulsa Ade Aruna Tulane Michael Dogbe Temple DL Deadrin Senat USF Bruce Hector USF Luke Carrezola UConn Jarvis Polu Navy DL Cortez Broughton Cincinnati Tony Guerad UCF Folo Fatukasi UConn Jeremy Smith Tulsa LB Genard Avery Memphis Matthew Adams Houston Vontae Diggs UConn Jordan Williams East Carolina LB Auggie Sanchez USF Junior Joseph UConn D.J. Palmore Navy Kyran Mitchell SMU LB Shaquem Griffin UCF Micah Thomas Navy Craig Suits Tulsa Curtis Akins Memphis CB Parry Nickerson Tulane Jordan Wyatt SMU Jarrod Franklin Tulane Tajee Fullwood USF CB Deatrick Nichols USF Jamar Summers UConn Kerwin Thomas Tulsa McKinley Whitfield Tulsa S Garrett Davis Houston Alohi Gilman* Navy Travon Simmons East Carolina Tim Irvin East Carolina S Sean Chandler Temple Delvon Randall Temple Jonathan Cook Memphis Shawn Burgess-Becker UCF

First-Team Specialists Second-Team Specialists Third-Team Specialists Fourth-Team Specialists K Aaron Boumerhi Temple Matthew Wright UCF Redford Jones Tulsa Bennett Moehring Navy P Spencer Smith Memphis Jonathan Hernandez USF Dane Roy Houston Zachary Block Tulane KR Tony Pollard Memphis Adrian Killins UCF Sherman Badie Tulane D'Ernest Johnson USF PR D'Ernest Johnson USF Chris Johnson UCF Anthony Miller Memphis Sean Chandler Temple

* Gilman left Navy after the 2017 all-conference team was released.

Team-by-Team Breakdown of Athlon's 2017 American Athletic All-Conference Team