ESPN RISE

Congratulations to the EA SPORTS Football All-America team:

EA SPORTS All-America: First-Team Offense
QB: Garrett Gilbert School: Lake Travis Austin, Texas Class: Senior Ht/Wt:6-4, 205 Highlights	WR: Marlon Brown School: Harding Academy (Memphis, Tenn.) Class: Senior Ht/Wt: 6-5, 210 Highlights	WR: Andre DeBose School: Seminole Sanford, Fla. Class: Senior Ht/Wt: 6-0, 180 Highlights	WR: Terry Hawthorne School: East St. Louis, Ill. Class: Senior Ht/Wt: 6-0, 185 Highlights	OL: D. J. Fluker School: Foley, Ala. Class: Senior Ht/Wt:6-7, 330 Highlights	OL: Morgan Moses School: Meadowbrook Richmond, Va. Class: Senior Ht/Wt: 6-8, 340 Highlights

EA SPORTS All-America: First-Team Offense
OL: Xavier Nixon School: Jack Britt Fayetteville, N.C. Class: Senior Ht/Wt: 6-6, 280 Highlights	OL: Xavier Su'a-Filo School: Timpview Provo, Utah Class: Senior Ht/Wt: 6-5, 290	OL: Mason Walters School: Frenship Wolfforth, Texas Class: Senior Ht/Wt: 6-7, 295 Highlights	RB: Marcus Lattimore School: Byrnes Duncan, S.C. Class: Junior Ht/Wt: 5-11, 205	RB: Trent Richardson School: Escambia Pensacola, Fla. Class: Senior Ht/Wt: 6-0, 225 Highlights	PK: Brian Egan School: Prattville, Ala. Class: Senior Ht/Wt:6-0, 205

EA SPORTS All-America: First-Team Defense
DL: William Campbell School: Cass Tech Detroit, Mich. Class: Senior Ht/Wt: 6-5, 320 Highlights	DL: Malliciah Goodman School: West Florence Florence, S.C. Class: Senior Ht/Wt: 6-4, 255	DL: Jacobbi McDaniel School: Madison County Madison, Fla. Class: Senior Ht/Wt: 6-1, 285 Highlights	DL: Sheldon Richardson School: Gateway Tech St. Louis, Mo. Class: Senior Ht/Wt: 6-4, 275 Highlights	LB: Dorian Bell School: Gateway Monroeville, Pa. Class: Senior Ht/Wt: 6-1, 225 Highlights	LB: Vontaze Burfict School: Centennial Corona, Calif. Class: Senior Ht/Wt: 6-2, 235 Highlights

EA SPORTS All-America: First-Team Defense
LB: Jelani Jenkins School: Good Counsel Olney, Md. Class: Senior Ht/Wt:6-0, 220 Highlights	LB: Manti Te'o School: Punahou Honolulu, Hawaii Class: Senior Ht/Wt:6-2, 230 Highlights	DB: Dre Kirkpatrick School: Gadsden City Gadsden, Ala. Class: Senior Ht/Wt: 6-3, 215 Highlights	DB: Craig Loston School: Eisenhower Houston, Texas Class: Senior Ht/Wt: 6-1, 200 Highlights	DB: Greg Reid School: Lowndes Valdosta, Ga. Class: Senior Ht/Wt: 5-9, 175 Highlights	P: Pete Kontodiakos School: Counbtryside Clearwater, Fla. Class: Senior Ht/Wt: 6-3, 185

EA SPORTS All-America: First-Team Multi-Purpose
RB/WR/DB: Tyler Gaffney School: Cathedral Catholic San Diego, Calif. Class: Senior Ht/Wt:6-1, 215 Highlights	QB/RB: Stephon Gilmore School: South Pointe Rock Hill, S.C. Class: Senior Ht/Wt: 6-2, 195 Highlights	WR/DB/RB: Adam Hall School: Palo Verde Tucson, Ariz. Class: Senior Ht/Wt: 6-5, 205 Highlights	QB/RB/WR: Rueben Randle School: Bastrop, La. Class: Senior Ht/Wt: 6-3, 195 Highlights	QB/RB: Tyrik Rollison School: Sulphur Springs, Texas Class: Senior Ht/Wt: 6-2, 185 Highlights	QB/RB: Russell Shepard School: Cypress Ridge Houston, Texas Class: Senior Ht/Wt: 6-1, 190 Highlights

First-team offense

WR -- Marlon Brown
Tennessee's Division 2-A Mr. Football finished his final high school season with 1,836 all-purpose yards and 20 touchdowns. In his final game, he scored four touchdowns and totaled 338 yards in a narrow 36-34 loss in the Division 2-A state championship game. Brown showed what he can do last year as well when he led Harding to its first basketball state title while averaging 16.5 points a game and being named a Mr. Basketball finalist. He plans to play at least one year of both football and basketball in college before deciding which sport to concentrate on.

WR -- Andre DeBose
Arguably the most explosive player in the country, the Under Armour All-American hauled in the game-winning 40-yard touchdown reception with 33 seconds left to lead his team to its first ever state 6A championship in a 28-21 upset over previous back-to-back state champion Miami Northwestern. The dynamic playmaker totaled 24 touchdowns on 168 rushes, receptions and returns.He averaged a TD every seven touches for the Fighting Seminoles. The Orlando Sentinel voted him the Offensive Player of the Year. Next year, DeBose will head to Gainesville and try to pick up where All-SEC WR Percy Harvin left off for the BCS Champion Florida Gators.

WR -- Terry Hawthorne
The versatile, do-it-all athlete helped the Flyers to a 13-1 record and a state Class 7A title. He landed 48 passes for 1,009 yards and 19 touchdowns and added four scores on pass interceptions plus four on kick returns. The University of Illinois recruit also was charted with 74 solo tackles and averaged 44.8 yards a punt. Once Hawthorne settles down to a position, most likely wide receiver, he figures to be scary.

OL -- D.J. Fluker
This first team all-state pick is headed to Alabama, where he could be the next Andre Smith as a dominating college lineman. Fluker became a top-rated player despite having to move several times in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. He also played in this year's U.S. Army All-America Game.

OL -- Morgan Moses
The massive offensive lineman was a first-team all-Central District, all-Central Region, Richmond All-Metro and Virginia all-state selection. He helped Meadowbrook to a second straight Division 6 region runner-up finish. He has yet to commit to college. He could be the best Moses from Virginia since Moses Malone.

OL -- Xavier Nixon
Regarded as the top player no matter the position in North Carolina, Nixon was a main reason why his team played in the Class 4A state final. He also had 50 tackles on defense. Nixon committed to Florida during the U.S. Army All-American Game.

OL -- Xavier Su'a-Filo
The big man on both sides of the line helped the Thunderbirds go a perfect 13-0 on the year to win their third straight Class 4A state title. Su'a-Filo, who started every game at Timpview since he was a sophomore, also showed his athletic ability by playing basketball for two years before stopping to concentrate on football. He played in the Under Armour All-American Game in his last high school game, His next game in college, though, may be after his fulfill's his Mormon mission responsibility.

OL -- Mason Walters
A rare blend of size and athletic ability at the center position, Walters earned Class 4A all-state honors as a junior. He helped Frenship to a 13-1 record and is rated the nation's No. 26 prospect in the ESPNU 150. Walters committed to Texas in March over offers from LSU, USC, Notre Dame and others and is already enrolled in classes at UT.

QB -- Garrett Gilbert
Gilbert's dream season concludes with his selection as the EA SPORTS Mr. Football USA. He was an Elite 11 QB selection, an Under Armour All-American participant and is rated the No. 2 QB in the nation and No. 11 overall in the ESPNU 150. He led Lake Travis to back-to-back state 4A titles in Texas and a No. 3 ranking overall in the ESPN RISE FAB 50, ending the year with a state-record 4,851 yards and had 55 TD passes to go along with 21 TDs on the ground. Gilbert has committed to Texas and hopes to be the heir-apparent to Colt McCoy under center for the Longhorns.

RB -- Marcus Lattimore
It's not that strong of a season for prime-time senior running backs, but next year will be different and Lattimore is the best of that bunch. He rushed for 305 yards and four TDs in his state final, went over 2,300 yards for his season and displayed the cutback running skills that make him comparable to Carolina Panthers' star DeAngelo Williams. Lattimore already has been named the EA SPORTS National Junior Player of the Year.

RB - Trent Richardson
From the same high school as Hall of Fame and former Dallas Cowboy RB Emmitt Smith, Richardson is a powerful, bruising back that punishes would be tacklers and has breakaway ability. Last fall, he rushed for 1,966 yards on 211 carries for 9.1 yards per carry average. In his junior year, he racked up 1,490 yards and 15 touchdowns. Richardson twice topped the 400-yard single game rushing mark in his career, first as a junior with 407 yards against Tate and then as a senior with 419 yards against Milton.

PK -- Brian Egan
Being on a state championship team like Prattville was a huge benefit for Egan, who took advantage of his kicking opportunities. He made 19 field goals and 54 PATs, including three field goals in his team's 16-13 win in the title game over Hoover. Egan, who had longest field goals of 52 and 51 yards, also booted 60 of 85 kickoffs out of the end zone for touchbacks.

First Team Defense

DL -- William Campbell
A dominating down lineman and first team all-state selection, the University of Michigan recruit was charted with 51 tackles this season. Campbell had 26 tackles behind the line of scrimmage with six sacks and scored a touchdown on a fumble recovery.

DL -- Malliciah Goodman
At a Nike combine last spring, Goodman clocked 4.57 in the 40 and had a 33-inch vertical jump. For a 255-pounder, that's impressive. He then translated that kind of athleticism on the field during the fall. Goodman ended up with 14 sacks and 80 tackles. He is headed to in-state Clemson University.

DL -- Jacobbi McDaniel
McDaniel pledged to Florida State as a junior after registering 65 tackles, 30 for a loss, and 19 sacks for the 2A state champion Cowboys. For his senior season, McDaniel was selected as the 2008 ESPN RISE Gatorade Player of the Year after posting 72 tackles, 23 for loss, 11 sacks, three fumble recoveries, and sporting a 3.02 GPA. He has ability to play on the offensive side of the ball as well, adding 45 pancake blocks as a guard.

DL -- Sheldon Richardson
A two-time Class 4 all-state and two-time St. Louis all-metro honoree, Richardson was a dominant down lineman who also played tight end on offense where he was used as a primary blocker. He's a University of Missouri recruit.

LB -- Dorian Bell
One of the most impressive players at last summer's Nike 7ON national passing tournament, Bell helped the Gators to a 12-1 record. He charted 116 tackles and seven sacks this season. He also rushed 83 times for 885 yards and scored 17 touchdowns. The first team Class AAAA all-state and All-WPIAL honoree is an Ohio State recruit.

LB -- Vontaze Burfict
California's top recruit on the defensive side of the ball showcased his big-time hitting and playmaking in the last two CIF Division I state bowl games. Last December, however, instead of a loss it came in a win over De La Salle of Concord. Burfict, who has committed to USC, racked up 169 tackles during the year with two interceptions and two fumble recoveries.

LB -- Jelani Jenkins
One of nation's most sought-after linebackers was waiting for the last minute to make his choice. Jenkins, who finished with 101 tackles and 644 rushing yards while leading Good Counsel to an 11-1 record, has narrowed his choices to Florida and Penn State. He is a three-year starter at Good Counsel and a two-time Consensus All-State selection and this year's Maryland Defensive Player of the Year.

LB -- Manti Te'o
In a history-making year at Punahou, Te'o became the first prep football player in the nation to win the Butkus Award, which was presented to him by Dick Butkus as the top high school linebacker in the nation. Te'o finished his final season with 129 tackles, 11 sacks, three forced fumbles and three interceptions while scoring on an interception return, blocked punt and five times while in on offense. He recorded eight tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble as the Buffanblu won their first-ever state football championship in 118 years.

DB -- Dre Kirkpatrick
The Class 6A State Back of the Year picked off six passes, broke up 15 passes and was in on 80 tackles. Kirkpatrick is indeed 6-3, but has the recovery speed to stay with the quickest opponents. Kirkpatrick, who ended his career with 14 interceptions, is the No. 1 corner according to the ESPNU player rankings.

DB -- Craig Loston
A big hitter with tremendous range, Loston is ranked as the nation's No. 1 safety and No. 7 player overall by ESPNU and Scouts, Inc. A three-time all-district selection and an all-Greater Houston first team selection this fall, Loston totaled 70 tackles and three interceptions (two of which he returned for touchdowns), while also contributing at wideout. An UnderAmour All-American participant, Loston committed to Texas A&M and then Clemson before ultimately choosing LSU to play his college football.

DB -- Greg Reid
The Georgia Player of the Year capped off a great senior season with a stellar Under Armour All-American performance, intercepting two passes and being named MVP of the Black team. Reid won a state title as a junior and led his team to the second round of the playoffs this season. He accounted for 2,048 all-purpose yards and 21 touchdowns, with 1,242 yards rushing and 16 touchdowns. On defense he came up with nine interceptions to lead Region 1-AAAAA. He is a two-time 5A all-state selection.

P -- Pete Kontodiakos
A standout at the Ray Guy Special Teams Camp, Kontodiakos uses hang time to set himself apart. He had an average hang time of 4.78 seconds and averaged 41.6 yards per punt with limited returns. His father played at the University of Miami.

First Team Multi-Purpose

RB/WR/LB -- Tyler Gaffney
Already named as the Mr. Football Player of the Year in California, Gaffney led his team to a state title by rushing for 2,866 yards and he scored 56 touchdowns. In the final game, he rushed for 329 yards, scored five times, completed a pass and blocked a field goal attempt in which he caught the ball himself. Gaffney will play next year at Stanford.

QB/RB -- Stephon Gilmore
If we were going to put Marcus Lattimore of Byrnes as a first team running back, then it only made sense for Gilmore to be a first team All-American as well since he was voted Mr. Football for South Carolina. Gilmore led South Pointe to a 15-0 record and the Class 4A state crown. The University of South Carolina-bound standout rushed for 1,331 yards and 23 TDs and passed for 1,771 yards and 14 more scores. He also may play defensive back for the Gamecocks.

WR/DB/RB -- Adam Hall
There weren't many plays at Palo Verde this season when Hall wasn't on the field as he was named the Arizona Republic Big Schools Player of the Year and Tucson Citizen Player of the Year after scoring 38 total touchdowns in six different ways. A majority of his touchdowns came rushing the ball as he ran for 837 yards and 24 touchdowns while catching 33 passes for 660 yards and six touchdowns. Hall also played cornerback, linebacker and both safety positions on defense where he intercepted three passes for touchdowns and returned a fumble for a score.

QB/RB/WR -- Rueben Randle
Randle played wide receiver for two years before moving back to quarterback this season as the Rams saw their attempt at a third straight state championship fall just short with a loss in the semifinals. He showed off his arm by passing for over 2,400 yards and 20 touchdowns while rushing for 683 yards and 12 touchdowns. Randle will likely go back to playing wide receiver in college as he caught 55 passes for 1,058 yards and 11 touchdowns his junior season.

QB/RB -- Tyrik Rollison
If not for Garrett Gilbert, this dual-threat Texas signal-caller might be the first-team signal caller after an incredible senior campaign in leading Sulphur Springs to a 14-2 mark and the Class 4A Division II state title. Rollison completed 315 of 428 passes (73 percent) for 4,728 yards and 51 touchdown passes, while also rushing for 1,094 yards and 14 scores, saving his best for last by accounting for 546 yards of total offense and seven touchdowns in the Wildcats' 69-49 shootout win over Dayton for the state title.

QB/RB -- Russell Shepard
This dynamic run/pass threat at quarterback was named the Class 5A Offensive Player of the Year this fall in Texas after passing for 1,850 yards and 20 TDs while rushing for another 1,962 yards and 29 scores. He captained a Cy-Ridge offense that averaged nearly 40 points per game and finished the season 9-3. Shepard, who is the nation's No. 3 ranked prospect overall in the ESPNU 150, could see time at either quarterback or elsewhere as a true freshman at LSU next fall.