College Football All-Decade Team

January 12, 2010

As the decade comes to a close, TheDailySportsHerald.com presents its All-Decade First and Second Team. It is important to remember that we are judging these individuals on their college careers, not on their NFL careers. That being said, there are plenty on this list who have gone on to star in the NFL as well.

Another note is that while sustained greatness is a factor (as opposed to be having just one outstanding college season), we have tried not to unfairly exclude players who played less simply because they left early for the NFL.

First Team

Offense

QB - Matt Leinart, USC. The 2004 Heisman winner went 37-2 as a starter over 3 seasons. He threw for 10,693 yards passing and 99 touchdowns while completing 65% of his passes (he also ran in 9 TDs). His team's AP ranking after those 3 seasons? #1, #1, and #2. Pretty good.

RB - Deangelo Williams, Memphis. The 3-Time Conference USA Player of the Year ran for over 6,000 yards in a four year career. He has the most career all-purpose yards (7,573) and 100-yard games (34) in NCAA history and ran for over 1,900 yards each of his final two seasons.

RB - Darren McFadden, Arkansas. The two-time Heisman runner-up ran for over 4,500 yards in 3 seasons before leaving for the NFL. He averaged 5.8 yds/carry in the tough SEC conference.

WR - Michael Crabtree, Texas Tech. Played 2 All-American seasons before leaving for the NFL after his sophomore season. Crabtree caught 231 passes for 3,127 yards and 41TDs in his 2 years as a Red Raider. He won the Biletnikoff Award as the nation's top receiver in 2007 and 2008.

WR - Calvin Johnson, Georgia Tech. 2006 Biletnikoff Award winner accumulated almost 3,000 yards receiving and 28 TDs on team without much of a passing game.

TE - Kellen Winslow Jr., Miami. Set Miami records for receptions by a tight end. Winner of the 2006 Mackey Award as nation's best tight end.

C - Alex Mack, Cal.
OL - Jamaal Brown, Oklahoma. 2004 Outland Trophy Winner.
OL - Andre Smith, Alabama. 2008 Outland Trophy Winner.
OL - Joe Thomas, Michigan State. 2007 Outland Trophy Winner.
OL - Jake Long, Michigan. 4 year starter, 2-time All-American, and #1 pick in NFL Draft.

K - Mike Nugent, Ohio State.
KR - C.J. Spiller, Clemson. 7 TDs returned make him 2nd all-time.

Defense

DE - Mario Williams, N.C. State. 175 Tackles and 25.5 sacks in 3 years. #1 pick in the NFL Draft for a reason.
DT - Ndamukong Suh, Nebraska. The 2009 AP Player of the Year was one of the few defense players to obtain Heisman-level recognition.
DT - Glen Dorsey, LSU. 2007 Outland Trophy and Bronko Nagurski Award winner.
DE - Julius Peppers, North Carolina. Had 30 Sacks and 52 tackes for loss. Also scored 3 touchdowns and had five interceptions. 2001 Bednarik Award winner.

LB - A.J. Hawk, Ohio State. 2004 All-American and 2005 Lombardi Award winner.
LB - Patrick Willis, Ole Miss. 2006 Butkus award winner led the SEC in tackles two years in a row.
LB - Derrick Johnson, Texas. 2-Time All American and winner of the Butkus and Bronco Nagurski Award in 2004 as the top defensive player in the country.
LB - Ray Maualuga, USC. All-American was a leader on the 2008 Trojan team that was probably the best defense of the decade. Winner of the Bednarik award in 2008 as the top defensive player in the country.

CB - DeAngelo Hall, Virginia Tech.
CB - Antonio Cromartie, Florida State.
S - Eric Berry, Tennessee. The 2-Time All-American leaves after this year as a junior. He was ready 3 years ago.
S - Ed Reed, Miami. The 2-Time consensus All-American was instrumental in the Hurricanes 2001 National Championship

P - Daniel Sepulveda, Baylor. 2004 and 2006 Ray Guy Award winner.
PR - Maurice Jones-Drew, UCLA. His 28.5 yards per return in 2005 is a Division I record, and his career average over 3 seasons is second all-time. He also took 6 punts back for scores during his career, often at critical moments of a game.

Second Team

Offense

QB - Tim Tebow, Florida. The 2-Time National Champion and 2007 Heisman winner has thrown for 8,457 yards over four years (3 as a starter) with 84 TDs and only 15 INTs while completing 66% of his passes. He also ran for 2,833 yards and scored a ridiculous 56 TDs, most often not while scrambling out of the pocket, but with tough inside running.

RB - Larry Johnson, Penn State. Although he had only one big year, as a senior in 2002, he rushed for over 2,000 yards and finished with a ridiculous 7.7 yds/carry with 23 rushing touchdowns.

RB - Adrian Peterson, Oklahoma. Despite missing all or most of 11 games in 3 seasons, he finished with over 4,000 career rushing yards before bolting early for the NFL. His only fully healthy season, as a Freshman, he ran for 1,925 yards at 5.7 yds/carry.

WR - Larry Fitzgerald, Pittsburgh. 2-year star finished second in Heisman voting in 2003 after hauling accumulating 92 receptions and 22 TDs as a sophomore.

WR - Mike Williams, USC. Big wideout had 176 catches and 30 TDs in just two dominant seasons.

TE - Marcedes Lewis, UCLA.

C - Dan Mozes, West Virginia.
OL - Robert Gallery, Iowa.
OL - Bryant McKinnie, Miami.
OL - Sam Baker, USC.
OL - D'Brickashaw Ferguson, Virgina.

K - Justin Medlock, UCLA.
KR - Felix Jones, Arkansas.

Defense

DE - David Pollack, Georgia.
DT - Shaun Cody, USC.
DT - Haloti Ngata, Oregon.
DE - Lamarr Woodley, Michigan.

LB - James Laurinitis, Ohio State. 2006 Bronko Nagurski award winner and 3-time All-American.
LB - Brian Cushing, USC.
LB - Paul Posluszny, Penn State. 2005 and 2006 Bednarik winner as college football's best defensive player.
LB - Terrell Sluggs, ASU.

CB - Antoine Cason, Arizona.
CB - Terrence Newman, Kansas State.
S - Roy Williams, Oklahoma. 2001 Bronko Nagurski Award winner
S - Troy Polamalu, USC. 2-Time All American ('01, '02) was a standout before USC became dominant in the decade.

P - Drew Butler, Georgia. 2009 Ray Guy Award Winner.
PR - Desean Jackson, Cal. The electrifying wideout was at his best returning punts in college, and only injuries his junior year limited him from making a serious run at the NCAA record book. He finished with 6 touchdowns over three years.


Manish Pandya
Staff Editor for TheDailySportsHerald.com

1 comment:

We encourage all intelligent, passionate comments. Please refrain from any ignorant, racist, or offensive rants.

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...