ST. LOUIS – University of Connecticut senior linebacker Lawrence Wilson (Tuscaloosa, Ala.) and senior offensive guard Zach Hurd have both been named preseason All-American by the Sporting News. Both players were selected to the third team.
Wilson was a first team All-BIG EAST Conference pick in 2010 and led the Huskies in tackles with 140. He also had five sacks and 11 tackles for a loss. Wilson was first in the BIG EAST in tackles per game with 10.8 – which was also tenth nationally. On Monday, he was named to the watch list for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, which is awarded annually to the nation’s best defensive player.
Hurd was a first-team All-BIG EAST pick last year as he started all 13 games at left guard. Hurd has made 26 starts in a row for UConn dating back to the beginning of the 2008 season. Hurd will serve as one of UConn’s four captains in 2010. On Monday, Hurd was named to the Outland Trophy Watch List, presented annually to college football’s best interior lineman, on either offense or defense.
Connecticut opens the season at Michigan on Saturday, Sept. 4 at 3:30 p.m. The game will be televised by ABC.
A full look at the teams after the jump.
SPORTING NEWS PRESEASON ALL-AMERICAN TEAMS
FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
- QB Ryan Mallett, Arkansas
- RB Mark Ingram, Alabama
- RB Dion Lewis, Pittsburgh
- OL Mike Pouncey, Florida
- OL Jason Pinkston, Pittsburgh
- OL Rodney Hudson, Florida State
- OL Stefan Wisniewski, Penn State
- OL Jake Kirkpatrick, TCU
- TE Kyle Rudolph, Notre Dame
- WR Ryan Broyles, Oklahoma
- WR A.J. Green, Georgia
- K Kai Forbath, UCLA
- KR D.J. Monroe, Texas
FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
- DL Jared Crick, Nebraska DL
- Robert Quinn, North Carolina DL
- Von Miller, Texas A&M DL
- Adrian Clayborn, Iowa LB
- Greg Jones, Michigan State LB
- Vontaze Burfict, Arizona State LB
- Luke Kuechly, Boston College
- CB Patrick Peterson, LSU
- CB Brandon Harris, Miami
- S Rahim Moore, UCLA
- S DeAndre McDaniel, Clemson
- P Drew Butler, Georgia
- PR Greg Reid, Florida State
SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
- QB Kellen Moore, Boise State
- RB LaMichael James, Oregon
- RB Jacquizz Rodgers, Oregon State
- OL Matt Reynolds, BYU
- OL Chase Beeler, Stanford
- OL Kyle Hix, Texas
- OL Dan Hoch, Missouri
- OL Butch Lewis, USC
- TE Ben Guidugli, Cincinnati
- WR Julio Jones, Alabama
- WR Michael Floyd, Notre Dame
- K Grant Ressel, Missouri
- KR Chris Owusu, Stanford
SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
- DL Marcell Dareus, Alabama
- DL Sam Acho, Texas
- DL Greg Romeus, Pittsburgh
- DL Ryan Kerrigan, Purdue
- LB Akeem Ayers, UCLA
- LB Travis Lewis, Oklahoma
- LB Don’t’a Hightower, Alabama
- CB Kendric Burney, North Carolina
- CB Prince Amukamara, Nebraska
- S Mark Barron, Alabama
- S Tyler Sash, Iowa
- P Tress Way, Oklahoma
- PR Jeremy Kerley, TCU
THIRD TEAM OFFENSE
- QB Case Keenum, Houston
- RB Ryan Williams, Virginia Tech
- RB John Clay, Wisconsin
- OL Caleb Schlauderaff, Utah
- OL Anthony Castonzo, Boston College
- OL Barrett Jones, Alabama
- OL Zach Hurd, Connecticut
- OL Clint Boling, Georgia
- TE D.J. Williams, Arkansas
- WR James Cleveland, Houston
- WR Jonathan Baldwin, Pittsburgh
- K Alex Henery, Nebraska
- KR Tyron Carrier, Houston
THIRD TEAM DEFENSE
- DL Allen Bailey, Miami
- DL Jurrell Casey, USC
- DL Cameron Heyward, Ohio State
- DL Jeremy Beal, Oklahoma
- LB Tank Carder, TCU
- LB Lawrence Wilson, Connecticut
- LB Kelvin Sheppard, LSU
- CB Trevin Wade, Arizona
- CB Curtis Brown, Texas
- S Jeron Johnson, Boise State
- S Deunta Wiliams, North Carolina
- P Derek Epperson, Baylor
- PR LaVon Brazill, Ohio
Photo credit: Sporting News
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