For the 100th anniversary of the first AP All-America team (in college football), the AP decided to make a team of the best of all of the nearly 2,000 first team All-Americans. Bruce Smith was the only Hokie, included on the second team.
Personally, looking at these lists, I can't really quibble with any of their inclusions, though I think there is a bit of recency bias showing. Do we really think that Tim Tebow and Vince Young are the best two QBs of the last 100 years?
Enjoy.
Edit: Whoops, forgot the source: https://apnews.com/article/ap-college-football-allamerica-a7e5c1c4fde40a...
First Team Offense
Wide receivers — Randy Moss, Marshall, 1997; Larry Fitzgerald, Pittsburgh, 2003.
Tackles — Orlando Pace, Ohio State, 1995-96; Bill Fralic, Pittsburgh, 1982-83-84.
Guards — John Hannah, Alabama, 1972; Jim Parker, Ohio State, 1956.
Center — Chuck Bednarik, Penn, 1947-48.
Tight end — Brock Bowers, Georgia, 2023.
QB — Tim Tebow, Florida, 2007.
Running backs — Barry Sanders, Oklahoma State, 1988; Herschel Walker, Georgia, 1980-81-82.
Kicker — Sebastian Janikowski, Florida State, 1998-99.
All-purpose — Johnny Rodgers, Nebraska, 1972.
First team defense
Ends — Hugh Green, Pittsburgh, 1978-79-80; Randy White, Maryland, 1974.
Tackles — Ndamukong Suh, Nebraska, 2009; Bronko Nagurski, Minnesota, 1929.
Linebackers — Dick Butkus, Illinois, 1964; Derrick Thomas, Alabama, 1988; Chris Spielman, Ohio State, 1986-87.
Cornerbacks — Charles Woodson, Michigan, 1996-97; Deion Sanders, Florida State, 1987-88.
Safeties — Ronnie Lott, Southern California, 1980; Ed Reed, Miami, 2000-01.
Punter — Tory Taylor, Iowa, 2023.
Second team offense
Wide receivers — DeVonta Smith, Alabama, 2020; Desmond Howard, Michigan, 1991.
Tackles — Jonathan Ogden, UCLA, 1995; Bryant McKinnie, Miami, 2001.
Guards — Brad Budde, Southern California, 1979; John Smith, Notre Dame, 1927.
Center — Dave Rimington, Nebraska, 1981-82.
Tight end — Keith Jackson, Oklahoma, 1986-87.
QB — Vince Young, Texas, 2005.
Running backs — Archie Griffin, Ohio State, 1974-75; Tony Dorsett, Pittsburgh, 1976.
Kicker — Martin Gramatica, Kansas State, 1997.
All-purpose — Tim Brown, Notre Dame, 1986-87.
Second team defense
Ends — Bubba Smith, Michigan State, 1966; Bruce Smith, Virginia Tech, 1984.
Tackles — Lee Roy Selmon, Oklahoma, 1975; Warren Sapp, Miami, 1994.
Linebackers — Jerry Robinson, UCLA, 1976-77-78; Brian Bosworth, Oklahoma, 1985-86; Lawrence Taylor, North Carolina, 1980.
Cornerbacks — Champ Bailey, Georgia, 1998; Tyrann Mathieu, LSU, 2011.
Safeties — Bennie Blades, Miami, 1986-87; Al Brosky, Illinois, 1951.
Punter — Reggie Roby, Iowa, 1981.
Comments
The list lost credibility when Megatron wasn't included.
Would love to see the criteria listed on how they decided. It's weird to see how they picked a specific year rather than full body of work.
Yeah-I'd argue 83 was Bruce's best year when he had 22 sacks in just 11 games(despite being double teamed almost every snap.
Thought - It appears the year listed was the year they left school by graduation or entering the draft or retiring?
I think they're just referencing the year(s) they were All-Americans. They specifically stated that this list came from a pool of first team All-Americans.
Except Bruce was 1st team All-American in 1983 too...
Fuck Suh
Ah c'mon, not even his girlfriend did that.
Sooo, no Bo Jackson?
Criminal that he's not included
The 4 in are solid and hard to argue with. I would probably put LaDainian Tomlinson and Rickie Williams ahead of Bo.
Bo's Sr year was his only as an AA and he had 1786 yds rushing w 17 tds. LT has 2200 and 22. Rickie had nearly 1900 AND 2124 w 25 and 27.
College Tony Gonzalez >>>> Brock Bowers
I played 3 consecutive seasons of fantasy football years ago. I won my league in my rookie and next season because of one guy....Tony Gonzalez. I was able to draft him both seasons.
Didn't have him in year 3, didn't place very well and have never played again.
Yeah Bowers essentially being crowned the best college TE ever is odd. Their second team WRs also would not be my picks. The QBs send crazy. What Joe Burrow did to college defenses was borderline criminal. If you were putting together a team of players only based on their college performance, who would you want at QB more than LSU Burrow?
Not sure if they were All-american or not but Jeremy Shockey and Kellen Winslow Jr. have as much claim as Bowers when it comes to college performance.
Keith Jackson might like a word.
M. Vick #7 1999
They didn't have a category that could catch him.
That's because he could not be captured by categories and transformed the sport at that position.
Yup.
Top 10. Maybe top 5. But not top 2.
Tim Tebow shouldn't be an a list of top 10 QB's ever.
I find Tim Tebow just as irritating, if not more so, than most.
But he was easily one of the five most dominant QBs in college football in the last quarter century. Perhaps saying he was top 10 of the last 100 years was a bit hyperbolic, but I don't think it's completely unfounded.
Tim Tebow is the best power back of this century and on top of that he set a bunch of SEC passing records.
The best QB was Andrew Luck but Tebows sophomore season is probably the 2nd best season by an all american (behind Joe Burrow) and then Tim had two more seasons of outstanding stats. Tebow had 200 less years, 5 more TDs, one less Int and a better completion percentage than Cam Newton and did that in one less game.
He has more rushing TDs than Hershel Walker. We will never see another player like Tebow because the game has changed. He is 1p0% in the conversation.
You are entitled to your wrong opinion. Tebow should not be in the top 10 list of best college QB's of the last 100 years.
Tommy Frazier
Baker Mayfield
Peyton Manning
Deshaun Watson
Case Keenum
Joe Burrow
Andrew Luck
Colt Brennan
Colt McCoy
Danny Wuerffel
John Elway
All better than Tebow
Tebow has lead the nation in 1st place hiesman votes as many times as that entire list.
He has 2 championships, that list has 4 i believe. Peyton Manning couldn't even win his conference, his stats never really improved from freshman to senior, actually got worse in completion percentage and his team won it the next year without him. Keenum played a whole lot of nobody same with Brennan.
Most of them were better for the pros which Tebow was not but he was an absolute monster in college.
I'm of the belief that Cam Newton is inarguably the best college qb post-integration.
Dude won a natty with two nfl players on his roster. No qb in the last 50 years has won that much with such little talent around him.
Here's another way to put it: put Cam Newton on any VT team that won the BE/ACC and that team plays for - maybe wins - a Natty.
I think he's that good.
I dont know how I didn't submit my comment yesterday, but Chris Speilman???? Really?