2008 CFN All-Americans

Defensive Ends

CFN 2008 All-Americans and Top 25 Players
2008 Preview | Quarterbacks | Running Backs | Wide Receivers
Tight Ends | Off. Tackles | Guards | Centers 
Defense Def. Tackles | Linebackers | Cornerbacks 
Safeties | Punters | Kickers | Kick Returners

2008 CFN Preseason First Team All-Americans

Maurice Evans, Jr. Penn State
A future NFL millionaire hanging around the college game, the 6-2, 264-pound junior was dominant making 54 tackles, 12.5 sacks and 21.5 tackles for loss on his way to several post-season honors. The definition of the unblockable pass rusher, he managed to bulk up without losing any quickness off the line, and it paid off. Now he'll have to get used to being the target of everyone's blocking scheme.

Greg Middleton, Jr. Indiana
The team's defensive improvement started with one player, Middleton, who led the nation with 16 sacks to go along with 17 tackles for loss, 50 tackles, and four broken up passes. A 6-3, 275-pound end who has NFL written all over him, he has excellent closing speed once he gets into the backfield and is always working to get into the backfield. He'll move around a little bit and should line up at times at tackle just to give offenses a different look now and then, and he'll have to get used to constant double and triple teams.

2008 CFN Preseason Second Team All-Americans

Ian Campbell, Sr. Kansas State
The key to the KSU defense will be to turn Campbell into Ian Campbell again. After a dominant sophomore season with 67 tackles, 11.5 sacks and 17.5 tackles for loss, he wasn't nearly as productive in the new 3-4 system making 45 tackles, 4.5 sacks and 11 tackles for loss. The 6-5, 255-pound senior was moved to a hybrid of linebacker and defensive end, and while he was fine, and theoretically should've been devastating with more room to move, he wasn't able to blow into the backfield as easily. With a tremendous burst, his worth is on the line where he can use his quickness to get past a tackle right off the snap. Now that he's back at end, he should be better. The former walk-on has filled out his frame and is now a beefed up end rather than a big linebacker.

George Selvie, Jr. USF
Selvie is one of the nation’s premier pass rushers and a disruptive force who must be accounted for at all times, but now he has to be more consistent. Long and lean at 6-4 and 242 pounds, the junior erupted last year for a nation’s-high 31.5 tackles for loss and a Big East-best 14.5 sacks, routinely blowing past helpless tackles.  He’s a rare talent who attracts so much attention, others around him are allowed to roam free with fewer obstacles, but he has to prove he can handle the double and triple teaming. Once the spotlight was on, he struggled a bit over the second half of the year coming up with only one sack in the final five games, one tackle for loss in the final three, and did next to nothing against Oregon in the bowl loss.

2008 CFN Honorable Mention All-Americans
(in alphabetical order)

Everette Brown, Jr. Florida State
The next big thing on the Florida State defensive line is Brown, who erupted in his second season making 37 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, and a team-high 6.5 sacks. Explosive off the snap at 6-4 and 246 pounds, he’s lived in opposing backfields the last two seasons and has worked hard to get even better in the offseason. With an eye on double-digit sacks, he could be off to the NFL after his junior year.    

Auston English, Jr. Oklahoma
All of a sudden, English went from an afterthought who was supposed  to be part of the rotation, to one of the nation's best pass rushers coming up with 9.5 sacks and 13 tackles for loss along with 38 tackles. More impressive is that he was able to come up with those numbers even though he missed the final three regular season games of the year after breaking his ankle against Texas A&M. The former high school running back was consistent and explosive, and he was able to come up big in the biggest games led by a huge performance in the first win over Missouri. At 6-3 and 257 pounds, he's big enough to handle himself against the run, but his real worth is as a regular in the backfield.

Larry English, Sr. Northern Illinois
The best defensive player in the MAC, and possibly the best all-around player in the league not named Dan LeFevour, is English. A premier pass rusher who cranked out 67 tackles, 10.5 sacks and 17 tackles for loss despite being the focus of everyone's blocking scheme, and after coming off a knee injury, he needs to be back at 100% after suffering a torn pectoral muscle this off-season. At 6-3 and 254 pounds, he has decent size and a blast of a first step. When he gets a step on a tackle, forget about it. While he's more of a beefed up linebacker playing end, he projects to be a great outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme at the next level.

Michael Johnson, Sr. Georgia Tech
Johnson is set to become one this year’s biggest national breakout stars. Above and below the neck, he is the prototype at the position by NFL standards. Long and extremely athletic, he uses every inch of his 6-7, 247-pound frame to bolt past helpless tackles and obstruct passing lanes for quarterbacks. Despite just two career starts, he’s collected 10 sacks, a number he’s capable of passing this year alone. 

Jan Jorgensen, Jr. BYU
If Jorgensen played for a BCS team, he'd be on everyone's All-America list. The 6-3, 260-pound left end had a good 2006 showing good pass rushing consistency, and then he exploded last year with 77 tackles, third best on the team, 14 sacks and 20 tackles for loss. He has a quick burst off the line, holds up well against the run, and is a great closer once he gets a bead on a quarterback. He brings it game in and game out, and on a team full of veterans and offensive stars, he's BYU's best player.

Albert McClellan, Jr. Marshall
Marshall never recovered from the season-ending ACL injury suffered by the 6-2, 259-pound McClellan, finishing last in the league in sacks and tackles for loss. Well, he’s back for his junior year, looking to recapture the pass-rushing form that led to Conference USA Defensive Player of the year honors in 2006. When healthy, he’s a terror coming around the edge, racking up 19 tackles for loss and 11 sacks in a breakthrough junior season.