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Celebrating a century of excellence, The Associated Press is marking the 100th anniversary of its prestigious All-America football team, the longest-running and most respected honor of its kind in college football. Since 1925, the AP has selected the nation's best players, creating a pantheon of legends who defined their eras.
To commemorate this milestone, a panel of AP sportswriters undertook the monumental task of selecting an all-time, "best of the best" team from the thousands of athletes honored over the last 100 years. Comparing leather-helmeted pioneers to modern-day titans is no easy feat, but some names simply transcend their generation. Here are a few of our selections for the AP All-America Centennial Team.
The Offense: Unstoppable Forces
Quarterback: Roger Staubach, Navy (1962-1964) Before he was "Captain America" for the Dallas Cowboys, Staubach was a magician at the Naval Academy. The 1963 Heisman Trophy winner was a revolutionary dual-threat quarterback whose leadership and athletic ability made him a college football icon.
Running Back: Archie Griffin, Ohio State (1972-1975) The only player to ever win the Heisman Trophy twice (1974, 1975). Griffin was the model of consistency and production, a workhorse who became the face of Woody Hayes' dominant Buckeye teams. His record remains the unassailable benchmark for collegiate greatness.
Running Back: Herschel Walker, Georgia (1980-1982) A mythical combination of sprinter's speed and linebacker's power. From the moment he stepped on campus, Walker was an unstoppable force of nature, carrying the Georgia Bulldogs to a national championship as a freshman and winning the Heisman in 1982.
Wide Receiver: Larry Fitzgerald, Pittsburgh (2002-2003) Though he only played two seasons, Fitzgerald's 2003 campaign is arguably the greatest ever by a college receiver. His incredible hands, body control, and knack for making impossible catches made him a unanimous All-American and the Biletnikoff Award winner.
The Defense: Immovable Objects
Defensive Lineman: "Mean" Joe Greene, North Texas (1966-1968) Long before he was the cornerstone of the Pittsburgh Steelers' "Steel Curtain," Greene was a one-man wrecking crew at North Texas. His dominance was so absolute that opponents frequently had to double- or even triple-team him, forever changing how the defensive tackle position was played.
Linebacker: Dick Butkus, Illinois (1962-1964) The gold standard by which all other linebackers are measured. Butkus played with a ferocity and instinct that was terrifying. He was the most feared player of his generation and finished his career as a two-time consensus All-American.
Defensive Back: Deion Sanders, Florida State (1985-1988) "Prime Time" was pure electricity. A true shutdown corner who was just as dangerous on punt returns, Sanders was a two-time unanimous All-American. His unmatched athletic flair and game-breaking ability made him one of the most exciting players to ever step on a college field.
This list, of course, is just a starting point for a debate that could last another 100 years. The names left off—Barry Sanders, Bo Jackson, Tommie Frazier, Charles Woodson—are a testament to the incredible talent that has graced the AP All-America teams for a century.
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