JuJu Smith-Schuster Named Athlon First Team Preseason All-American

JuJu Smith-Schuster, Zach Banner and Adoree’ Jackson are among Athlon Sports preseason All-Americans for 2016, giving USC football the most selections out of any Pac-12 team.

USC wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster and offensive tackle Zach Banner were named first team preseason All-Americans by Athlon Sports Wednesday.

Cornerback Adoree’ Jackson earned a spot on the All-American second team defense.

In 2015 Smith-Schuster was a second team All-American selection by the AP, Football Writers, Sporting News, SI.com and Phil Steele. He’ll hope to build on that recognition as a junior.

Already this offseason he was named a first team preseason All-American by Phil Steele.

Banner opted to return for his senior season after picking up third team honors on the CollegeSportsMadness.com All-American team last year. As one of the top returning lineman in the Pac-12 this season, he was named on Steele’s preseason All-American second team.

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Jackson is considered one of the most versatile and explosive players in college football for 2016 but his jack-of-all-trades role for USC makes him a difficult to evaluate for positional awards. Steele recognized him as a second-team punt returner though Athlon didn’t include him among their special teams All-Americans.

The Trojans two first team selections make them one of just two Pac-12 squads to place a preseason first teamer. Stanford’s Christian McCaffrey made the cut as an all-purpose back.

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Oregon running back Royce Freeman, UCLA offensive lineman Conor McDermott and Washington safety Budda Baker also made the second team.

On the third team, Oregon placed all-purpose player Charles Nelson, Washington State placed receiver Gabe Marks and UCLA placed defensive lineman Eddie Vanderdoes.

The fourth team includes Utah offensive lineman J.J. Dielman and Washington running back Myles Gaskin and cornerback Sidney Jones.

USC rival Notre Dame placed two offensive lineman with Quenton Nelson on the third team and Mike McGlinchey on the fourth team.