Selecting the 2024 all american football team isn't just about looking at a box score and picking the guy with the most yards. It's a mess of conflicting opinions from the AP, FWAA, and coaches that usually ends in a heated debate at a bar. If you’re looking for a consensus, you'll find it in a few names, but the real story of the 2024 season was how the "transfer portal era" completely reshaped who we consider the best in the country.
Honestly? It was a wild year.
👉 See also: Why the Florida Panthers Away Jersey is Quietly the Best Look in the NHL
We saw a kid from Boise State nearly break a record held by Barry Sanders. We saw a guy in Colorado play more snaps than some entire rosters. The 2024 list isn't just a roster; it’s a snapshot of a sport that is changing faster than most fans can keep up with.
The Unanimous Heavyweights of the 2024 All American Football Team
There are All-Americans, and then there are the guys who make every single list. In 2024, if you didn't have Ashton Jeanty on your first team, you probably weren't watching football. The Boise State running back was a human highlight reel, rushing for 2,497 yards and 29 touchdowns. He wasn't just good for a "Group of Five" player; he was arguably the best pure football player in the nation.
Then there is Travis Hunter.
The Colorado phenomenon did something we haven't seen in the modern era, playing elite-level cornerback and wide receiver simultaneously. He earned a spot on the 2024 all american football team as an all-purpose player and a defensive back on multiple lists. It’s almost unfair. He finished the season with 92 catches and 14 touchdowns on offense, while basically erasing half the field on defense.
Offense: The New Era Signal Callers
The quarterback spot was a tug-of-war. Cam Ward at Miami finally lived up to the massive hype that followed him from Washington State. He threw for over 4,300 yards and led the country with 39 passing touchdowns. He brought "The U" back into the national conversation, which is something we feel like we hear every year, but this time it actually stuck.
On the other side, you had Dillon Gabriel at Oregon. He was the steady hand, the veteran who transferred in and completed over 73% of his passes. While Ward was the "gunslinger," Gabriel was the surgeon. Both earned major All-American honors, but Ward often got the nod for the first-team AP slot because of that sheer "wow" factor.
The trenches were dominated by guys like Kelvin Banks Jr. from Texas and Will Campbell from LSU. If you want to know why Texas finally made that deep run, look at Banks. He didn't just block; he eliminated pass rushers.
The Defensive Wall
On defense, the 2024 all american football team was anchored by Mason Graham from Michigan. Michigan lost a ton of talent to the NFL, but Graham stayed and proved he was a one-man wrecking crew in the interior.
- Abdul Carter (Penn State): The transition from linebacker to edge rusher was seamless. He finished with 64 pressures, which is just an absurd number for someone still learning the nuances of the position.
- Xavier Watts (Notre Dame): Last year's Nagurski winner didn't drop off. He remained the smartest safety in the room, constantly baiting quarterbacks into bad throws.
- Caleb Downs (Ohio State): After moving from Alabama, he didn't miss a beat. He's probably the most polished sophomore defensive back we've seen in a decade.
The Guys Who Flew Under the Radar
Not everyone on the 2024 all american football team comes from a blue-blood program. Harold Fannin Jr., the tight end from Bowling Green, put up numbers that would make most SEC receivers jealous. 100 catches. Over 1,300 yards. In the MAC!
And we have to talk about Nick Nash from San Jose State. He was a consensus selection because he simply couldn't be covered. He led the nation in several receiving categories and proved that if you have the talent, the scouts and the All-American voters will find you, even in the Mountain West.
Why the "Consensus" Tag Matters
In college football, being an All-American is great, but being a Consensus All-American is the ultimate goal. To get that title, a player needs to be named to the first team by a majority of the five official selectors:
- Associated Press (AP)
- American Football Coaches Association (AFCA)
- Football Writers Association of America (FWAA)
- Sporting News (TSN)
- Walter Camp Football Foundation (WCFF)
For 2024, guys like Jeanty, Hunter, and Banks achieved "Unanimous" status, meaning they swept all five. That’s a rare feat. It means there was zero doubt among coaches, writers, and legends of the game.
The Specialist Factor
Special teams often get ignored until someone misses a 30-yarder, but the 2024 specialists were elite. Alex Mastromanno from Florida State was a weapon, consistently pinning opponents deep during a season where the FSU offense struggled to move the ball. Without him, some of those games would have been even uglier. Kenneth Almendares from Louisiana was the model of consistency at kicker, proving that the leg talent in the "Sun Belt" is as real as it gets.
What This Means for the 2025 Draft
If you're an NFL fan, the 2024 all american football team is essentially your first-round draft board.
Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders are the names that move the needle, but scouts are obsessed with the offensive line depth from this All-American class. Wyatt Milum (West Virginia) and Addison West (Western Michigan) are names that might not be household staples yet, but they’ll be protecting multi-million dollar quarterbacks very soon.
Actionable Takeaways for Fans
- Watch the Group of Five: Players like Jeanty and Nash proved that some of the best talent in the country isn't in the Big Ten or SEC. Don't skip the Tuesday night MACtion or Mountain West games.
- Track Two-Way Players: Travis Hunter’s success is going to encourage more coaches to let their best athletes play both ways. Keep an eye on high school recruiting to see who the "next Hunter" might be.
- Value the Interior: Don't just watch the QB. If you want to understand why teams like Michigan or Texas win, watch guys like Mason Graham and Kelvin Banks. Their All-American status is earned in the dirt, not the stat sheet.
The 2024 season was a chaotic, beautiful mess of high-scoring offenses and defensive stalwarts. This All-American team captures the best of that chaos. Whether you agree with every pick or think your favorite player got snubbed, there’s no denying the sheer talent that took the field this year.