Jesuit: Graduated in 1972. Ernie Sims is still the only linebacker to be a consensus No. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Ran for 1,840 yards and scored 31 TDs as a senior. Nicknamed "The Jet," was an All-State first-team and All-America receiver as a HS senior. Was 6th overall selection in 1985 NFL Draft. College: Suh was a three-year starter at Nebraska, earning All-America honors his final two seasons. NFL, second round pick of the 2006 draft. Spent nine seasons in NFL. Played 14 NFL seasons. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. [2] [3] Started by the Sunday magazine in 1957, it had . A USA Today and Parade first-team All-American blocker. Poll: Who is Oregon's best-ever running back? 1979 Parade All America High School Football Team (17th Annual) (2 of 2) All-State TE for the Tarpons. Joined by future first-round picks Neal Colzie and Glenn Cameron on Coral Gables teams. Was 3rd overall pick by Cincinnati Bengals in 1977 draft. He still started all four years for the Irish and finished his career with 20 school records, but went 0-2 in bowl games and was never an All-American. Steve Kiner QB/LB Hillsborough (Tampa) 1965. A two-time all-state lineman for the Celtics, played on a state championship team as a junior, and earned Parade All-America honors as a senior. Caught 99 passes (still a state record) for 1,716 yards and 19 Tds as a senior. North Eugene: Ainge was a rare high school athlete, as he earned All-America honors in football, basketball and baseball. The younger Brown persevered, turned heads at pro day and played in the NFL for four seasons. Grants Pass: Graduated in 1966. The 1979 College Football All-America team is composed of various organizations that choose College All-America teams that season. We like to think we can see talent when it's right in front of our face. A wizard at option attack for Hurricanes. Had 89 receptions for 2,087 yards and 28 TDs as a junior and 67 receptions a year later. Was Class 2B Player of the Year and runner-up to Tim Tebow in Mr. Football award voting. Page 76. Were hoping to start a conversation here, so lets begin with the second team, followed by the all-time first team. Had two 1,000-yard rushing seasons at the University of Miami. Played collegiately for Louisville, where he had 76 tackles, 6 sacks and 3 blocked kicks as a senior. AP, UPI, NEA,The Sporting News and Pro Football Weekly chose both first and second teams. Knee injuries limited Greens NFL career to three years. A 4-time Pro Bowler. Oregon, started three years, passed for 7,555 yards and 61 touchdowns. Eight year career with Baltimore, New York Giants, Minnesota, Denver. 17 in first round by Seattle. Fielded 141 punts without calling for a fair catch in 5 NFL seasons. All-American in 1969 and first-team All-SWAC in 1968 and 1969 at Texas Southern University. The most heralded recruit in Arkansas state history, Mitch Mustain swept the 2006 national player of the year awards and followed his high school coach, Gus Malzahn, to Arkansas. Pro: Picked No. Had 4,339 yards total offense (2,842 passing and 1,497 rushing) for a 14-1 team as a senior. Scored 5 TDs in 1 game, rushed for 1,052 yards, and caught 22 passes for 542 yards as wishbone RB. Set single-season records as a senior with 5,552 yards (4286 passing, 1266 rushing) and 70 TDs (46/24) for 11-2 team. Farragut assistant coach Ron Eskridge, who also was involved in Fields' decline, insisted to one and all that Ganes was the No. Born: Feb. 14, 1993 (Rock Hill, South Carolina), High school: South Pointe High School (South Pointe, South Carolina), High school highlights: SCHSL state champion (2008), South Carolina Mr. Football (2010), College highlights: SEC Defensive Player of the Year (2012), two-time AP All-American (2012, 2013), NFL career: Houston Texans (2014-18), Seattle Seahawks (2019), Tennessee Titans (2020), Cleveland Browns (2021-present). 13 overall, of the 1986 draft, FitzPatrick spent seven years in the NFL, playing for San Diego and the Los Angeles Raiders. Born: July 16, 1974 (Berwick, Pennsylvania), High school: Berwick High School (Berwick, Pennsylvania), High school highlights: Parade Magazine National Player of the Year (1992), USA Today Offensive Player of the Year (1992), PIAA state champion (1992). Caught 107 passes for 2,100 yards and 21 touchdowns in 4 seasons at FSU. Had over 3,000 yards of offense in 6 pro seasons. Although Sims never really set the world on fire at Florida State, he was still a first-round NFL draft pick in 2006 by the Detroit Lions. Yates was the 4A player of the year on offense and defense as a junior, and defensive player of the year as a senior. Tim Tebow QB Nease (Ponte Vedra Beach) 2005. The 1979 College Football All-America teamis composed of college footballplayers who were selected as All-Americansby various organizations and writers that chose College Football All-America Teamsin 1979. [1] It was part of the Parade All-American series that originated with boys basketball before branching to other sports. A first-round draft choice by New England in 2004. He ran a 4.29 40 and is perhaps the most sought-after high school running back of all time. These hometown heroes are in a special class of legends. Played at University of Miami. Player Game Finder, School Game Finder. Rushed for 1,858 yards and 29 TDs despite missing 2 games in senior year. As a senior, Suh had 4 sacks in the Big 12 championship game on the way to landing Associated Press player of the year honors. Led Tigers to 2005 Class 5A state championship. A Florida Times-Union Super 11 Pick in 1991. 1970 Parade All America High School Football Team (8th_Annual) The original All-America team was the 1889 College Football All-America Team selected by Caspar Whitney and Walter Camp. Played 18 years in NFL before retiring following 2002 season. Young's NFL career was not as notable, and he flamed out after six seasons. Zandofsky was first-team all-state as a defensive tackle as a junior and senior, as well as a first-team all-state offensive lineman as a senior. Played 9 years in the NFL. Poll: Who is Oregon's best-ever defensive lineman? Pro: A second-round pick in 1964, Renfro played 14 years for Dallas, where he participated in two Super Bowls and earned 10 Pro Bowl honors. Went on to brilliant collegiate career at Miami. Selected by New York Giants with 27th overall pick in 1984 draft. Born: Dec. 3, 1997 (Plainfield, New Jersey), High school: Paramus Catholic High School (Paramus, New Jersey), High school highlights: USA Today Defensive Player of the Year (2015), Under Armour All-American Game MVP (2016), USA Today All-American (2015), College highlights: Two-time All-Big Ten (2017, 2018), NFL career: Green Bay Packers (2019-present). Also hit .533 for Atlanta Braves in the 1992 World Series and was leading the National League in stolen bases in 1997 when he returned to football. As a matter of policy, Sports Reference only reports the results of games as played on the field. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. Named to Florida's All-Time High School Team by Sports Illustrated in 1988. 1983 (Saint Paul, Minnesota), High school: Cretin-Derham Hall High School (St. Paul, Minnesota), High school highlights: USA Today High School Football Player of the Year (2000), USA Today High School Baseball Player of the Year (2001), Class 4A state champion (1999). His 15 sacks in 2000 were one shy of tying Lawrence Taylors single-season UNC record. Racked up 5,511 yards on 541 carries (10.2 average) and totaled 93 TDs in 4-year varsity career. CO. QB. But he suffered a broken neck in a car accident on Feb. 26, 1996. Played 8 NFL seasons with Tampa Bay. College: Blanchard spent four years at Oregon, playing punter and quarterback. Now a Heisman Trophy candidate as a sophomore star for UF. Derrick Brooks was named one of the 33 greatest players in Florida high school football history in 2007 after a career at Booker T. Washington High where he led his school to the Class 6A semifinals. Pro: The 12th pick of the 1980 draft, Brock played 16 years in the NFL, most with New Orleans. 1970. Jamon Dumas-Johnson, Georgia (TSN, ESPN) Ivan Pace Jr., Cincinnati (AP, AFCA, FWAA, TSN, WCFF, ESPN, CBS, FOX, The Athletic, USAT) Drew Sanders, Arkansas (AP) Nick Herbig, Wisconsin (FOX) Defensive back [ edit] Brian Branch, Alabama (ESPN, CBS) Emmanuel Forbes, Mississippi State (AFCA, FWAA, WCFF, ESPN, FOX, The Athletic) Awards Index Consensus All-America Teams (1969-70 to 1978-79) Previous Decade Next Decade Total number of selections are listed in parentheses for repeat winners. Named to Class 5A All-State team as a senior in 1994. Led Escambia to state titles in sophomore and junior years (2,934 rushing yards, 32 TDs on 353 carries in 14 games), and 10-1 season as a senior in the days when only district champ made playoffs. Jackson and Pahokee teammate Remoise Johnson were dynamic bookend DEs in high school. College: A terrific player at Arizona State, Green posted All-America seasons in 1972 and 1973, and ran for 4,188 yards and 43 touchdowns during his career. A phenomenally gifted HS athlete who could break a game open on either side of the ball as a receiver and CB, and was equally dangerous on kickoff and punt returns. Played 11 seasons in NFL with San Francisco and Baltimore. 3-year letterman for Auburn from 1965-67. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? College: Swancutt stayed local and played four years at Oregon State, where he was the Pac-10 co-defensive player of the year as a senior defensive end. State's co-record holder for TDs (44) in a season. Set career highs in 2007 with 103 receptions for 1,147 yards and 5 TDs. 1981. All-league and all-state as a senior on both sides. Generally regarded as best football player out of a Florida high school prior to the 1930s. Ended his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1984. Now in 5th NFL season. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. Join our linker program. He heads a roster of 58 standout athletes from. Received first team All-State honors in football and basketball. The selector organizations award the "All-America" honor annually following the conclusion of the fall college football season. A first-team All-American as a junior free safety at UF in 2006 with 6 INTs and 2 blocked punts. 2 overall prospect in the country by Rivals in 2002. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. Eventually became a starter at University of Miami. College: Injuries took a toll on Tyners college career, that began at Oregon. Played 14 NFL seasons. Florida. Michael Irvin WR St. Thomas Aquinas (Ft Laud) 1983. Was enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame in 1999. Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Saturday, March 4, 6:03AM. Longwell was a three-year kicker for the Lava Bears, earning all-state honors as a senior. Even scored TD as a lineman. Possibly the most heralded interior defensive line recruit of all time, Gerald McCoy had 40 sacks over his final two high school seasons and decided to stay in-state and play for Bob Stoops and the University of Oklahoma. 1 pick of the San Francisco 49ers in 1968 draft. The National Collegiate Athletic Association(NCAA) recognizes four selectors as "official" for the 1979 season. Born: April 19. Passed for 1,176 yards in 4 playoff games. Bob Gibbons of All-Star Sports, generally recognized as the leading talent evaluator in the nation since the late 1970s, once rated Heppner as a top 30 player nationally and a McDonald's All-America candidate. Pro: A 12th-round draft pick in 1971, Blanchard went to play 11 years in the NFL as a punter, for New Orleans. Award-winning sports broadcaster. Largely a backup, Clemens passed for 4,017 yards and 16 touchdowns during his pro career. "Lemar put us on the map," Carter said of his childhood idol. Grant: Graduated in 2005. An outstanding sprinter in track and clocked 4.28 seconds in the 40-yard dash. Led a defense that shut out 7 opponents. One of the few players to be a consensus No. Signed by FSU. Evaluating high school football talent is no different. Charter member of Gators' Ring of Honor. Pro: A third-round pick in 2015, Odighizuwa played two years for the New York Giants. Rushed for 4,036 yards and 77 TDs when Mustangs were at top of Florida's big classification (1972 state champs) with a prolific offense. We present them here for purely educational purposes. Finished collegiate career as Notre Dame's all-time FG leader with 51 and was 2nd in scoring with 223 points. College: Howington chose Oregon over a whos-who list of pursuers in part because he was also a track & field star. Set a Knights career rushing record, later broken. Injuries, including a torn Achilles tendon in 2016, have hampered his pro career. His college choice boiled down to one fact: He and his older brother were Michigan fans. A 2-time All-SEC corner for the University of Florida (1967-69). Oregon, All-American in football and baseball. Played most of his pro career with the New Orleans Saints and is among the NFL all-time leaders in sacks (128) and fumble recoveries (29). Also an outstanding defensive player. 2 in the nation with 8,804 rushing yards and 106 touchdowns. Played 3 years at University of Miami, finishing with 393 career tackle. Clemens spent 11 years playing for three teams, the New York Jets, St. Louis and San Diego. CARL BANKS, LB, BEECHER (1976-1979): A dominating defender and all-state player for the Buccaneers, Banks is one of the greatest high school players ever from the city of Flint. The son of San Jose State head coach Jack Elway, John decided to play baseball and football at Stanford. AP, UPI, NEA, also listed numerous honorable mentions. Page 55. 2 all-time). Brock landed one Super Bowl appearance, in 1995 for the San Diego Chargers. Was a TE from 1971-76 and an OL from 1977-84. First team Class 3A All-State, All-South and Florida Super 24 selection. Part of the famed three 100-yard rusher game for the Gators in 1984 against Cincinnati. He was the Southern Section Player of the Year after rushing for 2,168 yards and scoring 232 points. Renfro was a three-year starter at running back and defensive back, and a two-time football All-American. Some, like McCoy, peaked in high school. Born: Feb. 13, 1977 (Charleston, West Virginia), High school: Dupont High School (Belle, West Virginia), High school highlights: Parade All-American (1995), West Virginia Football Player of the Year (1994), two-time West Virginia Basketball Player of the Year (1994, 1995), College highlights: Division I-AA national champion (1997), AP All-American (1997), NFL career: Minnesota Vikings (1998-2004, 2010), Oakland Raiders (2005-06), New England Patriots (2007-10), Tennessee Titans (2010), San Francisco 49ers (2012). Played from 1987-91, picking up 29.5 career sacks in 76 games during his 5-year NFL career. 1 cornerback on Sports Illustrated's All-Century college team. Closed out high school career with 200-yard rushing, 3-TD performance. Joseph "Joe" (Clifford . 1999 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. All-Pro and still considered one of NFL's top blockers. Ainge caught 82 passes combined during his sophomore and junior seasons, before moving to quarterback as a senior. What is certain is McCoy went to San Francisco, transferred to DePaul after his freshman year and never was more than a role player for the Blue Demons. 1 overall recruit across all of the major recruiting services, he led Cartersville to two state titles and won 41 straight games at one point. To Mason, it was a crushing blow. Sheppard was honored twice on the All-American Team in 3 years at University of Florida. He played 14 seasons in the NFL, all for Tampa Bay, and was named to the NFL's 100th Anniversary Team. Rushed for 1,014 yards on 105 carries and caught 28 passes for 1,005 yards and five TDs. Received NCAA Silver Anniversary Award in 1986. Jan. 04. 16 overall in the 1974 draft by Kansas City. Caught more than 1,000 yards in passes as a tight end, and earned several all-state and regional honors, as well becoming a Parade All-American. First. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? Eddie Edwards DL Fort Pierce Central 1972. College highlights: AP All-American (1982), two-time Pac-10 Player of the Year (1981, 1982) NFL career: Denver Broncos (1983-98) Bottom Line: John Elway John Elway was a two-sport star at Stanford. Voted best offensive lineman in Gator history. All-state selection and Parade All-American as a senior with 31 catches for 908 yards and 15 TDs. As a senior, Swancutt was the Class 4A defensive player of the year and landed on a number of all-regional recruiting teams. High school: Sealy High School (Sealy, Texas), High school highlights: Class 2A state champion (1978), Class 2A championship game MVP (1978), College highlights: Two-time AP All-American (1981, 1982), Heisman Trophy finalist (1982), two-time SWC Offensive Player of the Year (1981, 1982), NFL career: Los Angeles Rams (1983-87), Indianapolis Colts (1987-91), Los Angeles Raiders (1992), Atlanta Falcons (1993). Renfro was probably the states greatest high school player of the late 1950s, as he helped Jefferson win a pair of state championships as a standout defensive back, running back and sometimes quarterback. He led the Lions in tackles as a rookie but never made a Pro Bowl in eight NFL seasons. Flanagan. Was a mainstay on the OL for Florida Gators from 1963-65. Had 14-year career in the pros. A Pro Football Hall of Famer. Played football and baseball at Florida. Newman played both sides of the ball, but in high school was more known for his running back accomplishments, as he was Oregons 4A offensive player of the year as a senior. A do-it-all player who was an All-America selection in sophomore year at Miami where he played both ways. Williams helped the Hurricanes win a national title in 2001 and was a two-time All-Big East pick before the Denver Broncos made him a first-round draft pick in 2004. Currently plays for Philadelphia Eagles. Undrafted, but was selected to the NFL Hall of Fame for his 14-year NFL career. Starred at FSU. Led Silver Hawks to 10-1 and 9-2 district title seasons in final 2 seasons of prolific HS career. All-state selection in football and basketball in the late 1940s. Helped Raines to 3 straight district titles from 1989-91 and unbeaten regular seasons in 1989 and 1990. Butkus Award winner as the top college linebacker at Florida State in 1992. Brown retired after nine seasons as the NFLs career rushing leader and became Hollywood's first Black action movie star. He announced a transfer to Miami in January 2019 after five-star recruit Justin Fields announced a transfer from Georgia to Ohio State and became eligible immediately. College: The 6-7 Newton was a solid starter at Oregon State, where he was a two-year starter and caught 105 passes for 1,308 yards and 15 touchdowns. Marcus Dupree was an athletic freak of nature at 6-foot-3 and 229 pounds. Played 9 seasons for the Chicago Bears. Green holds ASUs single-season rushing yardage record at 1,565. Knapple. Played offense and defense in high school and QB at FAMU, where he was a 3-time All-American. Third player in NCAA history to pass for more than 10,000 yards and rush for more than 1,000. The 2022 College Football All-America Team is composed of the following College Football All-American first teams chosen by the following selector organizations: Associated Press (AP), Football Writers Association of America (FWAA), American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), Walter Camp Foundation (WCFF), Sporting News (TSN, from its historic name of The Sporting News), Sports Illustrated (SI), The Athletic (Athletic), USA Today (USAT), ESPN, CBS Sports (CBS), College Football News (CFN), Scout.com, Athlon Sports, Phil Steele, and Fox Sports (FOX). Blocked several punts as a DE and caught 6 TDs as senior. 2 all-time) and 47 touchdowns during his senior year. Averaged 45 yards per punt return and 26.8 per kickoff return, totaling a state record 1,531 return yards as a senior. Played 12 NFL seasons, with 23 INTs, 2 Super Bowl rings and 3 Pro Bowl appearances. Pro: A second-round pick of the 1988 draft, Newman is a 12-year NFL vet who played for Oakland, New Orleans and Los Angeles Rams. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) recognizes four selectors as "official" for the 1978 season. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. Played 3 seasons in USFL and 11 in NFL, where he was a 2-time Pro Bowl player and set receiving records for the Minnesota Vikings. He was just as good in college at the University of South Carolina and left school one year early to enter the NFL draft, where he was the No. Stief earned PIL Hall of Fame honors for his athletic accomplishments, particularly in football. Jadeveon Clowney was the first modern player to be a consensus No. He also may be the only athlete who is in serious contention as the greatest in two sports football and lacrosse. College: FitzPatrick was a four-year standout at USC, where he earned all-Pac 10 honors as a tackle. College: Bohlander was a solid, dependable offensive lineman at UCLA, starting the final 38 games of his career and earning all-Pac-10 honors as a senior. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. Led Nebraska to back-to-back national titles in 1994 and 1995. Had 270 tackles, 105 hurries, 32 sacks and 7 forced fumbles in 5 seasons with Philadelphia Eagles.