College football midseason All-America teams: Ashton Jeanty, Cam Ward lead first-half stars

Halfway through the college football season, the Heisman Trophy race has taken some unexpected turns and much has changed on our All-America teams since August.

There are still plenty of familiar faces among the best players of the 2024 season thus far, but there’s also unexpected variety. Thirty-nine teams have at least one player included on our two midseason All-America teams, led by three each from Texas, Ohio State, Ole Miss, Michigan and Alabama and two from Iowa. And only 15 of the players who were selected in the preseason appear here at midseason, though there were some close calls that could easily return on our final teams in December.

So who have been college football’s most impactful players through seven weeks? The Athletic solicited nominations from across our college football staff to pick 50 players based on performance so far.

QB Cam Ward, Miami: Ward climbed from Incarnate Word to Washington State to Miami, where he’s the biggest reason for the undefeated Hurricanes’ surging Playoff hopes. In a season in which the best choice for first-team All-American quarterback seems to change by the week, Ward has made a strong case by piloting the nation’s No. 1 scoring offense. Miami also ranks first in yards per play, and Ward has completed 69.2 percent of his passes for 2,219 yards with 20 touchdowns and five interceptions. Yes, he’s made a few mistakes, but he also engineered Miami’s comeback from down 25 at Cal and has done damage with legs too (161 yards and three touchdowns). Could he be the main reason Miami finally wins its first ACC title?

RB Ashton Jeanty, Boise State: Jeanty has made our All-America teams in the past in large part because of his versatility that has included substantial receiving production. This year, he has just nine catches, but he’s chasing Barry Sanders numbers as a runner. Through six games, Jeanty has 126 carries for 1,248 yards and 17 touchdowns, averaging 208 rushing yards per game and 9.9 yards per carry. He rushed for 192 yards and three touchdowns in a three-point loss at Oregon and 259 yards and four touchdowns in a win against Washington State. According to TruMedia, he’s averaging 7.2 yards after contact, and he leads the nation with nine rushes of 50-plus yards — six more than anyone else and three more than any FBS player had all of last season. He’s our midseason Heisman Trophy frontrunner for a reason.

RB Kaleb Johnson, Iowa: The Hawkeyes’ offense has received a much-needed spark from Johnson, who has thrived under new coordinator Tim Lester with 118 carries for 937 yards and 12 touchdowns. He’s averaging 7.9 yards per carry and most recently had 166 yards and two TDs in a blowout win against Washington. Johnson has an FBS-leading 16 rushes of at least 20 yards and is averaging 5.6 yards after contact, per TruMedia. Iowa’s offense has improved from 133rd to 74th in yards per play largely because of Johnson’s explosive running.

WR Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State: It’s hard to pick the best freshman wide receiver for this spot, as Alabama’s Ryan Williams has a strong case and is featured on our second team. The first-team choice is Smith, who has been a human highlight reel, stacking one jaw-dropping catch on top of another. The No. 1 recruit in the 2024 class drew rave reviews all offseason and has made an even bigger instant impact than could have been imagined in replacing Marvin Harrison Jr., catching 32 passes for 553 yards and seven touchdowns.

WR Tre Harris, Ole Miss: Harris is averaging 141 receiving yards per game, catching 59 passes for 987 yards and six touchdowns. He’s had five 100-yard games and is easily the nation’s leader in receiving yards per route run (5.25), according to PFF. Ole Miss ranks fourth in yards per play and quarterback Jaxson Dart ranks third in passing, and much of that production goes through Harris, who has a national-high 11 catches of at least 30 yards.

TE Tyler Warren, Penn State: New Nittany Lions offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki is known for his creativity and varied formations, and Warren has been his ultimate movable chess piece. According to PFF, he’s had 156 snaps as an inline tight end, 97 in the slot, 32 out wide, 25 as a back and 10 as a quarterback. He leads all Power 4 tight ends with 40 catches for 513 yards, headlined by his 17 catches for 224 yards against USC that included a long touchdown catch over a defender … after he snapped the ball on a double-pass play. He also has 38 rushing yards with a touchdown and has completed two passes with a touchdown.

OT Will Campbell, LSU: The Tigers have allowed just two sacks behind a pair of All-America candidates at tackle in Campbell on the left side and Emery Jones Jr. on the right side. Both are likely first-round picks, with Campbell potentially going in the top five. Campbell has allowed zero sacks and three pressures, per PFF.

OT Kelvin Banks Jr., Texas: Texas ranks 12th in pressure rate allowed behind the left tackle Banks, who’s allowed just one pressure and zero sacks, according to TruMedia. A projected top-10 draft pick, Banks has started all 33 games in three seasons after signing with the Longhorns as a five-star recruit in the Class of 2022.

G Willie Lampkin, North Carolina: Listed at just 5 feet 11, 290 pounds, the Coastal Carolina transfer emerged as a third-team All-ACC pick last year and is now of the nation’s top offensive linemen. He’s allowed zero sacks, per PFF, and is playing a big role in another prolific season for tailback Omarion Hampton, who is third in the FBS in rushing yards.

G Joshua Gray, Oregon State: A sixth-year senior, Gray was a second-team All-Pac-12 pick each of the past two seasons and has taken another step forward as one of the nation’s top guards. The Beavers offense ranks sixth in the FBS in rushing yards per game and fifth in runs that result in zero yards or a loss. Gray is the team’s best run blocker and also hasn’t allowed a sack, per PFF.

C Seth McLaughlin, Ohio State: After a bout with snapping problems at Alabama, McLaughlin has emerged as one of the top offensive linemen in the country at Ohio State. He hasn’t allowed a sack, according to PFF, and is at the center of a Buckeyes offensive line that ranks fourth in pressure rate allowed and second in yards before contact per rush, per TruMedia. Ohio State was 99th in the latter category last year.

DE Kyle Kennard, South Carolina: Kennard was everywhere in last week’s close call against Alabama, when he had a pair of sacks. He has 11.5 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks and two forced fumbles for the season, making him the SEC leader in TFLs and sacks. The Gamecocks have jumped to 16th in yards per play allowed, and a big reason is the havoc created up front by players like Kennard and freshman Dylan Stewart.

DE Nic Scourton, Texas A&M: The Purdue transfer led the Big Ten in sacks last year, and now he’s in a tight race with Kennard to lead the SEC in tackles for loss this year. Texas A&M has rejoined the Playoff race by winning five games in a row behind a stellar defense in Mike Elko’s first season, and Scourton has proven to be a relentless player off the edge with 10 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, a forced fumble and two pass breakups.

DT Derrick Harmon, Oregon: The 6-foot-5, 310-pound Harmon has provided consistent disruption after transferring from Michigan State, even when he’s not getting credit in the basic box score. PFF credits him with 28 pressures, six more than any other FBS interior defensive lineman. He has 4.5 tackles for loss, three pass breakups and two forced fumbles.

DT Walter Nolen, Ole Miss: Nolen signed with Texas A&M as the nation’s No. 2 recruit in 2022. He transferred to Ole Miss and has continued his high level of play, with 26 tackles, six tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks and two pass breakups. PFF credits him with 22 pressures, second only to Harmon among defensive tackles, and he’s doing so for a Rebels defense that ranks third in the FBS in yards per play allowed.

LB Jay Higgins, Iowa: The fifth-year senior has had double-digit tackles in 13 of his last 20 games dating back to beginning of last season, including 14 each of the past two weeks against Ohio State and Washington. He’s totaled 62 tackles with two interceptions as the leader of another stellar Hawkeyes defense.

LB Anthony Hill Jr., Texas: After a standout freshman season, the five-star Class of 2023 recruit is putting together an All-America-worthy sophomore campaign for the top-ranked Longhorns. He has 42 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks and an interception, including a dominant Red River Rivalry performance that featured 3.5 TFLs and a forced fumble in the blowout win against Oklahoma. He’s become the top player on the defense that leads the nation in yards per play allowed.

LB Shaun Dolac, Buffalo: Few players have stuffed the stat sheet like Dolac, who is the nation’s leading tackler with 87 — 17 more than anyone else. He’s not just racking up run-of-the-mill stops, either. He has 11.5 tackles for loss, three sacks and two interceptions, including 4.5 TFLs and an INT in the Bulls’ overtime win against Northern Illinois, which was coming off an upset at Notre Dame.

CB Will Johnson, Michigan: Johnson entered the season as the nation’s top cornerback and hasn’t disappointed. He has a pair of pick sixes, returning an interception 86 yards in the fourth quarter of a win against Fresno State and 42 yards in the third quarter of a four-point win against USC.

CB Jahdae Barron, Texas: A rising star for a dominant Texas defense, Barron can line up in a variety of defensive back roles, whether out wide, in the slot (where he primarily played last year) or in the box. The 5-foot-11, 200-pound senior has 22 tackles and four pass breakups, plus a 30-yard interception return. According to PFF, he’s allowed just 14 catches for 78 yards on 22 targets.

S Caleb Downs, Ohio State: Downs starred as a five-star freshman at Alabama and is making a similar impact at Ohio State, forming a standout safety combination with Lathan Ransom. Downs has 26 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and three pass breakups, and he’s given up just eight catches for 60 yards, per PFF. He’s a do-it-all safety who is valuable in run support for one of the nation’s best run defenses.

S Xavier Watts, Notre Dame: The 2023 Nagurski Trophy winner may not match last season’s seven interceptions, but he’s been arguably more consistent for one of the nation’s top defenses. Watts has 21 tackles, two interceptions and five pass breakups, playing a leading role for a banged-up defense that ranks fourth in yards per play allowed and fifth in pass efficiency. He’ll be even more vital now with preseason All-American cornerback Benjamin Morrison out for the season.

K Dominic Zvada, Michigan: Zvada is a perfect 8-for-8 on field goals, and they haven’t come easily: Their average distance is 46.9 yards, including makes from 52, 53, 53 and 55 yards. Six of his eight field goals have been at least 45 yards, making him a valuable weapon for a struggling Michigan offense.

P Alex Mastromanno, Florida State: Amid a disappointing season for Florida State, the punter has emerged as the most consistent player. Mastromanno ranks first in punting average (49.3 yards) and second in net punting (46.0), with four punts pinned inside the 10-yard line compared to just one touchback.

AP Travis Hunter, Colorado: Despite his injury last Saturday against Kansas State, Hunter has left no doubt about his place on the team. He’s been so good that an argument can be made for him on both offense (as a receiver) and defense (as a cornerback), making him a clear-cut all-purpose choice. He has 49 catches for 587 yards and six touchdowns on offense, and he’s added 17 tackles, two interceptions, three pass breakups and a forced fumble on defense. He hasn’t allowed a touchdown, per PFF, and he’s played 339 snaps on offense and 356 on defense. He’s expected to be back in the lineup this week.

(Top illustration: Meech Robinson / The Athletic; photos: Julio Aguilar, Loren Orr, Andrew Wevers / Getty Images)